Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
by ThePirate'sBride
Summary: In his desperation to save Elizabeth’s life, Jack makes a deal with Calypso. But this triggers another chain of events that lead to even more devastating consequences. Now their days together are numbered. Will their declaration of love come too late? JE.
1. Chapter 1 A Close Shave

Following the reasonable success of my previous PotC fic, I thought I'd get right on and write another, but I'm not as pleased with this one as my last one. Enjoy!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Set six months after the end of COTBP (the first one). Also, title may change.

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Title: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Summary: Elizabeth hasn't seen Jack since he escaped. They find themselves thinking of each other, and she escapes Port Royal to go to Tortuga, drawn to the sea, and Jack. She can't get a ship, but an old friend's willing to help, for his own personal reasons. JE.

Rating: PG-13

Rated for: Language, possible violence, slightly detailed sexual situations.

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_Chapter 1 – A Close Shave_

Elizabeth Swann brushed her golden locks in front of her mirror in her bedroom. She sighed; little less than a year after her kidnapping by Barbossa, she found herself bound once more in Port Royal, not to mention those dreaded corsets. It seemed that her father, following her unfortunate ordeal, wanted to keep an even closer eye on her than ever before, if that was physically possible.

Setting down her brush on her bedside cabinet she looked around the room. It seemed inexplicably dull and boring compared to the lavish interior of the _Black Pearl_, the ship she'd helped a pirate regain.

Ah, yes. A pirate. Encounters with pirates these days were not uncommon for beautiful young ladies such as governor's daughters, the wives of high-ranking officers in the navy, and other upper-class women.

But the pirate Miss Elizabeth Swann, also known as herself, had come across hadn't been violent. He hadn't raped or killed her as she'd expected he would. In fact, he had saved her life before even learning her name.

Most pirates _didn't _do that.

And his name...something about his name sent chills up and down her spine. _Jack Sparrow_...there it was again, that tingly feeling in the pit of her stomach. And the way he spoke about freedom...it made her want a taste of it.

But no, no no, all thoughts were vaporised as she heard a loud knock on her oak door.

"Come in," Elizabeth called out miserably. No doubt it was a servant or a maid come to check up on her for some reason or another.

Therefore she wasn't at all surprised when Rosa, Elizabeth's favourite maid and long time friend, popped her head around the door.

"You have a visitor, miss," she said politely.

Elizabeth nodded as Rosa left the room. Sighing again, she stood up and started to get dressed into the 'latest fashion in London'.

-----

Ten minutes later, after her waist had been harshly squeezed into a corset, Elizabeth made her way down the stairs to the entrance hall of her father's mansion. She was dressed in a plain but elegant ankle-length white dress that looked a lot like a wedding dress.

Will Turner looked up at the footsteps nearing the bottom of the grand staircase.

"Elizabeth, you look stunning," he smiled. Elizabeth smiled as she got closer.

"Thankyou Will," she replied, smiling, "I notice you're finally calling me Elizabeth."

"We're engaged," Will reminded her, laughing slightly.

"Of course," she chuckled. "Is that what you're here about?" she went on, starting to walk towards the lounge. Will followed hastily.

"No, actually," Will answered, seemingly remembering why he was here in the first place.

Elizabeth sat down in an armchair. Will looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Then why?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

Will sighed, sitting down on the sofa. "I can sense you're unhappy."

Elizabeth scoffed. "Whatever put such ideas in your head?"

"The way you act nowadays," he shrugged. "You seem constantly fed up and it's been like that ever since our return to Port Royal."

"So for the past six months, you say?" Elizabeth considered. "I must say, William Turner, you do have a keen sense of observation."

"It has served me well in the past," Will smiled.

"Like the night you saw me being taken, you mean," Elizabeth recalled. Will only nodded. "Well, I see I most probably cannot convince you otherwise, so I'll be truthful. I am deeply unhappy here."

"I knew it," Will said triumphantly. "Why are you unhappy here?"

"It's boring," Elizabeth said flatly. "I feel so trapped all the time; like I'm never going to have a taste of..." she chose her words carefully, "...freedom."

"Considering your past experiences with freedom, Elizabeth, I thought you'd be well rid of it," Will brought up.

"Well you were wrong," Elizabeth snapped sharply. Will recoiled.

"I can see I have upset you," Will said quietly, standing up, "so I think I should leave."

"Yes, I think you should," Elizabeth replied coldly, looking away from him.

Will said nothing more, and only left the house silently, leaving Elizabeth fuming in the lounge.

-----

Elizabeth had been in a bad mood all day since Will's surprise visit, and there was no doubt in her mind at all that that was what had caused it.

She had returned to her room after having dinner with her father and a few important guests, and now lay in the bed in her nightgown reading a book. One of her many literatures her father had bought her over her years.

Turning the page, she yawned. She looked out of the window, and saw the bright stars twinkling sweetly in the night sky. It had gotten awfully dark so fast.

She reached over to her bedside cabinet and put her bookmark in her page, putting the book back on the cabinet. She yawned widely again as she blew out the candle and the room was engulfed by the darkness once more.

She rested her head against the pillow and pulled the covers upto her chin, waiting for sleep to arrive, leaving dreams in its wake.

Sure enough, she fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

_The rocking of the boat's deck beneath Elizabeth's feet made her feel safe; secure. Her hair blew wonderfully in the breeze and she turned and walked to a cabin at the other end of the ship. She knew where she was going and what she was doing._

_Without knocking, she opened the door violently and marched inside, a confident smile on her face. The sight of one Captain Jack Sparrow with no shirt on, however, was enough to wipe the smile off her face._

"'_Ello, darlin'," he smiled devilishly. "An' what brings you to ol' Jackie's cabin tonight, then, eh?"_

"_I –" she stammered. He had bullet wounds in his chest, and those muscles... "Um..."_

"_Wanted a bit of a run-in with a pirate, did ya?" he went on, moving slowly towards her._

_With every step he took, she felt more of the air leave her body._

_She gasped as she felt him press his body against hers. He had her pinned up against the wall. She gasped even more when she felt his hand moving towards...newer places._

_Then, he kissed her. He kissed her while his hand was doing...things...and she enjoyed it. She enjoyed it so much that she wrapped her arms around his neck._

"_Jack..." she whispered, as they parted._

_He quickly but quietly led them over to the bed, and they collapsed onto it._

"_Trust me, love," he whispered in her ear hoarsely, "Ol' Jackie knows what he's doin'."_

_He pulled her top off over her head, kissing her again._

Elizabeth woke up, moaning in real life almost as much as in her dream. She sat bolt upright, feeling her nightdress cling to her from her cold sweat. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw something by the window. She shook it off. Did she really just dream that?

She had just dreamt that Jack Sparrow, a _pirate_, had _touched _her in...places...and she'd liked it. He was about to make love to her on that bed. She felt dizzy.

She was in love with _Will_. Will, goddammit! Then again, who ever said sex was in the name of love?

She groaned; she needed air. But, instead of going to the window, she just lay back down, waiting for sleep to claim her again. This time, though, she wasn't sure she was going to enjoy it.

-----

Outside Elizabeth Swann's window, Jack Sparrow stood perilously on the window ledge. He knew he barely made it out of her room in time. In fact, he was almost certain she'd seen him climb hastily out of the window.

God, if she ever found out that he'd been in her room, doing _that _to her, he'd be dead before morning came.

Looking down at his hands, he smiled. She'd certainly enjoyed it. But then again, it had been an _awfully _close shave.

* * *

Well, that was my first attempt at writing something relatively mature, so I apologize if it was bad! Being my age, I don't exactly have first-hand experience in that kind of thing...how was that for a first chapter?

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	2. Chapter 2 Inside And Out

Well, I must say I was pretty surprised by the amount of good reviews for the first chapter in such a short amount of time. Anyway, chapter 2, enjoy!

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 2 – Inside And Out_

No matter how hard Elizabeth tried, sleep just wouldn't claim her again. She was disgusted with herself. Having erotic dreams about a pirate when you're the governor's daughter was simply not acceptable.

Sighing in defeat, she quietly lit the candle next to her bed again, and picked up her book. But as much as she tried to engross herself in the words on the pages, scenes from the dream kept recurring in her head.

She growled in frustration. She slammed the book shut again, and threw it back on the bedside cabinet where it came from.

She blew out the candle again, and lay her head down on the pillow. She came up with the simple conclusion that it would just be her little secret.

Yes, that would do. Nobody else had to know.

-----

Jack sighed. Now how in the bloody hell was he going to get down from here? Why was it that predicaments formed so much easier where Jack was involved? Jack smirked.

_Pirate._

Now, then. He cursed under his breath. Why didn't Governor Swann think it wise to keep trees in his back garden?

"Oh, yes, so that when a pirate arrives in the middle of the night to touch up his daughter, he wouldn't be able to escape in a hurry," Jack muttered sarcastically.

He smiled slightly when he saw a long metal drainpipe running down the side of the house. "Ah."

Ignoring the growing fear inside him, he never was good with height on land, he carefully got hold of the drainpipe, and, ever so carefully, he started to climb down it.

Five minutes later, his boots finally came back into contact with solid ground. He wiped his hands on his shirt to get rid of some paint chippings and turned around, squinting in the dark.

He stepped forward, hearing a branch snap beneath his foot. He jumped slightly, and then decided there was no use hesitating; he had to make a run for it. Ignoring the sounds of breaking branches from plants, he just ran. He ran until he nearly came into head first contact with the wall at the back of the Governor's garden.

_Thank God for my stealth, _he thought sneakily, as he hoisted himself up and over the stone wall without a problem. It was only a matter of seconds before the pirate disappeared into the darkness of the night.

-----

Elizabeth was starting to get scared. After hearing a branch snap outside, very loudly, she might add, she had become very paranoid.

Breathing heavily, she climbed out of bed. The coldness of her room immediately hit her; she saw her breath steaming in front of her face. Hearing the floorboards creak eerily underneath her feet, she crossed the room to her window.

She drew back one of the curtains and looked down into the darkness of the garden below. She squinted to try and see better when she thought she detected movement in between the ferns and plants her father insisted on keeping.

She watched as the shadowy figure, if that's what it was, drew closer quite quickly to the wall at the foot of the garden. Whatever or whoever it was seemed to hesitate before climbing over the wall easily.

She saw a tiny shimmering glint of silver as the figure climbed up onto the wall, and then everything was still as he jumped off and disappeared.

She frowned as a million and one questions ran through her head. Who was it? What were they doing here? Why didn't she feel threatened by their presence? And, most importantly, why the bloody hell did she enjoy that dream?

Feeling, if possible, even more confused than before, she went back to her bed, trying her hardest to think of things like her upcoming wedding to Will, and what dress she was going to wear, but all her thoughts kept spinning around to Jack.

-----

Jack himself was now nearing the docks of Port Royal's harbour. After running for a good ten minutes, he had finally slowed down to a walk, and was enjoying his little moonlit stroll through the town.

Of course, even in the dead of night, he had to keep his eyes peeled for guards that might be lurking. He passed a tavern and even that was silent. Port Royal really could do with some livening up...

He sighed as he continued walking, finally arriving on the docks. He scanned the shore for his ship, but being dark, and the ship having black sails, that wasn't such an easy feat.

It was only the sight of Cotton's parrot vaguely in the light of a lantern that he managed to make it out.

He smiled and made for it hastily. He wanted to be out of here before sunrise.

A few minutes later, he was on deck and being approached by his first mate, Joshamee Gibbs.

"Did you get what you went in for, Cap'n?" he asked anxiously.

Jack considered a moment. "You could say that," he smiled slyly, "but someone certainly did."

Gibbs, too, smiled. Jack rolled his eyes so that Gibbs couldn't see. He clearly thought he, Jack, had killed someone.

"I saw Elizabeth Swann, too," he added in casually.

"At this time of night? I bet she wasn't best pleased..." Gibbs said thoughtfully.

"She sounded like she was pleased," Jack muttered. "We just spent a bit of time getting to know each other, that's all."

"You mean, like...inside and out?" Gibbs asked.

Jack gave him a perplexing look. "I doubt you will ever know the true coincidence behind your words, Mr. Gibbs. But, yes, inside and out."

Gibbs nodded interestedly. "Where we headin' then, Cap'n?"

"Tortuga," Jack replied without hesitation. Gibbs nodded as Jack moved away to his cabin.

He shut his cabin door behind him and looked down, once more at his hands...moreso his fingers. Without warning, he suddenly felt unbelievably sickened with himself.

What the _bloody hell _had he done?

He scratched his head in thought after he'd pulled his shirt off. Well, he'd be safe in Tortuga...wouldn't he?

* * *

I like to think Jack has an ounce of decency in him, and that he will come to feel bad for what he's done.

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	3. Chapter 3 Douse Canvas?

Took me a span of three days to write this, because I couldn't really think of anything to write, so, as a result, it's kind of a filler chapter. Enjoy!

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 3 – Douse Canvas?_

The next morning, Elizabeth awoke after having a dreamless sleep, thankfully. She yawned widely as she sat up. Someone had been in her room and opened the curtains already, and the sunlight streaming through her window threatened to blind her.

A few seconds later, she found herself snapping out of a hazy trance.

Thoughts of Jack filled her head once more. And yet, she didn't want them to leave. Their company was soothing; like an old friend who's always by your side no matter what.

She threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, wrapping her dressing gown around her as she walked slowly over to the window.

She peered down at the floor, scrutinising every inch of the garden as carefully as she could from the distance. It certainly didn't look like there had been a disturbance. She sighed, turning away. She decided, miserably, to get dressed for another day.

-----

Jack Sparrow woke at exactly the same moment as one Elizabeth Swann. Having not changed his attire all night, he was already fully dressed, and he got up from his bed, put on his coat and hat, and ventured out into the frosty morning.

Almost without thinking, he made his way upto the helm, to find Gibbs waiting expectantly for him.

Jack spotted Gibbs, and a confused expression appeared on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it again stupidly, and then looked around, carefully taking in his surroundings.

He turned back to Gibbs again before asking, "Where the hell are we?"

"As soon as you settled in your cabin last night," Gibbs started immediately, as though he'd been expecting the question and had silently been preparing an answer, "we set sail straight away."

Jack nodded slightly, then asked again, "So...where the hell are we?"

"A league or so away from the docks of Port Royal," Gibbs answered, pointing right in a general direction, "and heading for Tortuga, like you instructed."

Jack smiled. "Good man."

Gibbs gave him a long, hard, studying look as Jack pulled out his compass, something which hadn't been seen by the crew members of the _Black Pearl _in a long time. Jack kept it tucked in his belt, and that was where it stayed.

Jack watched with a curious expression as the needle of the compass turned and spun wildly...and didn't stop. Jack grunted. He knew what that meant; he didn't know what he wanted.

"Gibbs, are we trying to outrun an entire armada here?" Jack asked quietly, putting the compass back in his belt.

Gibbs, surprised by the seemingly random question, replied, "No, Cap'n. Why do you ask?"

"Then why do we have the sails up and why are we travelling at such an alarming rate?" Jack asked, looking directly at Gibbs, his eyebrows raised so high it was almost comical.

Gibbs hesitated before asking quietly, "Douse canvas?"

Jack nodded briefly; "Douse canvas."

Gibbs nodded once before shuffling off to the side slightly, no doubt to go and tell a lesser crew member to do the task.

Jack moved over to the wheel, and gently shoved Cotton off to one side. He gave Jack a dirty look, but cowered at the daggers he received in return.

"Shoo," Jack whispered, waving his hands in a most peculiar manner. Cotton blinked once, before moving away sheepishly.

Jack turned his head to one side and saw that Gibbs had returned.

"Cap'n, somethin' seems to be a-brewin' with ya," he started suspiciously. "Like a storm we can't calm –"

"Good metaphor," Jack interjected.

"– and I should like to know what seems to have bothered you in such a way," Gibbs finished.

Jack looked directly forward, lost deep in thought before replying, "I don't know how you came about such powerful mental and observational skills, Master Gibbs, but there seems to be something slightly wrong with you also."

Gibbs looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"Like, for instance, you are the one to take the orders and the one to do the obeying of the orders..." Jack started, "...but then again, the man who does the obeying is bound to get tired of the obeying once in a while, and starts meddling with things that aren't in his direct line of work, and this lack of concentration, or in your case, lack of concentration that's hardly ever there, ends up in the neglecting of the obeying of the orders and this eventually ends in disobeying the orders, which results in the man being sacked."

Jack smiled and looked round at Gibbs, who was clearly trying to fathom what Jack had just said. When he seemed to fail to arrive at a satisfactory answer, he said cautiously, "What're you sayin', Cap'n?"

Jack paused a moment. "Keep your nose in your own business and out of mine."

"I was only curious, Jack," Gibbs held up his hands in defence, "because you seemed to have been a bit off-put recently."

This remark surprised Jack. "How so?" he asked slowly.

Gibbs shrugged a little.

"For the past few months or so, your mind has been far from the sea," Gibbs said vaguely.

And with that, he walked off, leaving Jack to ponder his thoughts while at the wheel.

-----

Over the day that followed, Elizabeth found herself absent of company. She had been left alone in the mansion, as her father had left early in the morning on important business to do with the Navy, and Will was just...nowhere.

She found the silence settling, however. There was nothing to distract her from her thoughts, and there were certainly plenty of them.

She found her thoughts zooming on Jack constantly. It was starting to drive her...well, a little nuts, to be honest.

Even as she tried to engross herself in the pages of a book of some description, the words seemed to fly through the air, going anywhere but in her brain.

Eventually, she decided it was no use, and she let her mind wander to wherever it pleased. So, sure enough, her mind was plagued with images of the sea, and the beautiful towering ships that sailed, and sometimes seemed to float, on the horizon.

Memories from her childhood whizzed passed her eyes, and she remembered the day she'd met a young Will Turner.

"_My name's Elizabeth Swann," she'd said politely, being the charming young daughter of the Governor of Port Royal._

"_Will Turner," he'd gasped back at her, recovering, no doubt, from the water in his lungs._

Elizabeth smiled; she'd never guessed she'd end up marrying the young man. She'd wanted to, of course. Who wouldn't have?

* * *

Um, for one, ME! I wouldn't have! Anyway, did you like my little Jack riddle?

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	4. Chapter 4 The Night On The Island

Sorry for the long wait, but I've had writer's block (AGAIN!) and I probably won't be updating again for one or two weeks because I'm going to DisneyLand Paris with my oh-so-fabulous cousin, Charlotte! Enjoy!

Since I forgot to put a disclaimer on my first chapter or the summary, here it is!

The 'OMGIAmSoPitifulBecauseIDoNotOwnAnythingToDoWithPOTCOrItsCharactersWhatsoever' Disclaimer: Did you _not _read the name of the disclaimer???

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 4 – The Night On The Island_

Over the next few days, Elizabeth found herself constantly thinking of things other than her upcoming wedding; only three months away now. Even though she knew it was incredibly wrong, and would probably _go wrong_, she kept on thinking of, and planning, an escape.

Hell, she was even subconsciously thinking about what she would take, and where she would go and how she would get there.

It seemed quite scary to think that her plan was almost complete, considering there wasn't supposed to be a plan.

There was only one more problem that stood in her way...Will. She was happy with him, there was simply no doubt about that, but the fact that he was shy, almost like a little boy, even, and always waited for her to make the first move annoyed her a little bit.

So, when he had arrived that morning to talk to her about details after the wedding, she'd finally snapped.

He'd arrived just as usual; a polite knock on the door that the maid would answer within minutes, he'd step in and greet her as if she were the Queen or someone like that.

"Good day, Elizabeth," he smiled gently at her in the entrance hall, the shyness seeping out of every fibre of his body. After being engaged for four months, he still seemed utterly nervous around her.

"Hello, Will," she replied, somewhat coldly.

He flinched a little at her sharp tone, but his face immediately returned to that boyish smile. There was that word again, flittering through the front of Elizabeth's mind like flies around food; _boy_.

"I just received a message from your father," he went on, a little cautiously after noting her tone.

Elizabeth inclined her head interestedly.

"He says that I am to move in here after the wedding," Will told her, anxious to see her reaction.

Elizabeth seemed to consider for a moment, before moving away from him to the living room, sitting down on the sofa without uttering a word.

Will hesitantly followed her. "Elizabeth?"

She ignored him. He stood next to the sofa and watched as, with her eyes closed, she thought.

"So did my father force you to go through with this?" Elizabeth asked quietly, looking at the floor.

Will shook his head, before replying, "No, I just agreed to it because I thought you'd be happy about it."

Elizabeth nodded as she considered, her eyes fixed on the marble floor.

-----

Jack stood and watched as Cotton steered the proud vessel safely towards their destination; Tortuga. Jack had desperately tried to mull things over in his head, but to no avail...his thoughts just kept on becoming more and more blurry and confusing as time crept slowly by.

He let his eyes wander, and of course they found their way to the ocean soon enough.

He walked to the deck, and leaned on it on his arms, sighing deeply as the salty air surrounding him crept up his nose. He looked down into the water below, just thinking.

Thinking of her.

Oh, damn and blast, _her_!

He could have yelled out in the frustration of it all. Every day since that bloody island, with all the rum...how much did he _drink _that night???

Anyway, every day since that island, the rum, and the fact that it was just him and Elizabeth alone, but together, he'd been plagued with thoughts of her.

Visions of the past appeared before Jack's very eyes and it was as if he was actually looking across the darkened sea at the scene around the bonfire when he saw it.

"_We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs," Elizabeth screamed at the top of her voice as she stumbled and ran drunkenly around the large bonfire, "drink up me hearties, YO HO!"_

"_I love this song!" Jack slurred as he ran down to the shore, catching Elizabeth's arm, sending them both spinning in a sort of drunken dance. "Really bad eggs!"_

_Jack stopped for a moment, groaned a little bit, and fell back onto his backside. Seeing that Elizabeth was somehow still standing, he grabbed her arm and pulled her down next to him. She laughed as she sat back up, both of their eyes glittering from the flames._

"_When I get the _Pearl _back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew," Jack stated firmly, still oh-so-not sober. "And we'll sing it all the time!"_

"_And you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main," Elizabeth agreed._

_Jack looked taken aback. "Not just the Spanish Main, love..."_

_Elizabeth looked at him curiously._

"_The entire ocean," Jack smiled, pointing out to the sea, "the entire world! Wherever we want to go, we'll go!"_

_He paused before continuing, "That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails; that's what a ship needs...but what a ship _is_...what the _Black Pearl _really is...is freedom."_

_Elizabeth gazed deep into his dark eyes as he talked about ships with such passion. Jack just looked out to the sea and barely flinched when he felt Elizabeth snuggle herself closer and put her head on his chest._

"_Jack..." she said softly, "...it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."_

_Jack looked down at her uncertainly, then looked around, before replying, "Oh yes." He wound his fingers on her shoulder as she looked up at him. "But the company is infinitely better than last time..."_

_Elizabeth gave an almost disgusted look at Jack fingers on her arm as he said, "...and the scenery has definitely improved."_

_Elizabeth sat up, claiming, "Mr. Sparrow! I'm not sure that I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk."_

_Jack pointed one drunken finger in her face. "I know exactly what ya mean, love."_

_He lifted his fingers to his moustache and twirled it in his hands. Elizabeth giggled._

"_To freedom," she toasted, lifting her rum bottle. Jack looked at it._

"_To the _Black Pearl_," he smiled, toasting her glass with his own, before taking a long drink as he fell back onto the sand._

_After that, everything went black._

On the edge of the deck, Jack smiled again; they'd really bonded during their time on the island. With all the rum and the inebriated dancing, anything could have happened that night.

Of course, Jack hadn't been as drunk as he'd made on, so he'd been a perfect gentleman that night. He'd been oh so dangerously close to kissing her and claiming her as his own on that island, but of course, she'd had to go and stop him.

* * *

I'm sorry if that was a pitiful excuse for a chapter, but it's the best I could come up with at the moment. See you in a couple of weeks! 

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	5. Chapter 5 Intervention and Rejection

Ok, I apologize to my probably angry readers for the long overdue update, but I've been on such a mad video-making spree recently that I haven't had much other spare time. And, yes, writer's block is slowly fading away...hopefully.

Anyway, I thought about this a lot, and I wrote about half of this chapter while in Paris, so I do care :) Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 5 - Intervention and Rejection_

Elizabeth finally turned to look up at her nervous fiancee. He was anxiously waiting to see where she would take the news next. She locked eyes with the pitifully shifty man before her. "Will, do you honestly believe that I want to be confined in this place for the rest of my life?"

Will frowned in confusion at the sudden change of subject. "I know you don't like it here, Lizzie," he answered slowly. Elizabeth screwed up her eyes in slight anger at the nickname. Will never called her Lizzie; never. It was only ever Jack who called her that.

--Flashback--

"Peas in a pod, darlin'," Jack smiled at her devilishly, pointing to her and himself.

She found his eyes infuriating; they were so easy to get lost in. She couldn't let herself fall into those intoxicating brown depths, but it was proving to be extremely difficult, and her mind was becoming hazy. She inhaled as she felt his surprisingly soft hand caressing the bottom of her cheek.

She felt herself move instinctively closer to him, and although she knew this was wrong, she couldn't bring herself to tear away from his touch.

"Lizzie," he breathed faintly, his lips moving so tantalizingly close to hers that she could feel his warm breath against her own lips, and he was preparing to plant a tender kiss upon them. Elizabeth let her eyes slowly close as they inched closer and closer together. They were merely centimeters apart now, and their lips were about to meet when -

A sharp cough behind them brought both Jack and Elizabeth back to the ship and their surroundings. She couldn't help but let a disappointed moan escape her mouth as his hand moved away from her face and his hot breath upon her skin was replaced with the cold, salty sea air.

Her eyes regretfully opened once more and she felt sadness overwhelm her as she saw Jack's back moving away from her. Her eyes searched for the source of the cough and landed on the powdery white wig of Norrington.

"James," she said softly, disappointment filling her tone as she turned away from his disgusted face to over the edge of the ship, peering down into the foggy waters.

"You are my fiance, Elizabeth," Norrington reminded her rather harshly. Elizabeth's head snapped up at his words; she had completely forgotten about being engaged to the Commodore in those few wonderful moments with Jack. She'd never have thought that such gentility and intimacy could have come from a deadly pirate of the seas.

"Remember that," he went on quietly before turning and walking in the opposite direction. Elizabeth watched his retreating frame for a few minutes before she started to look around the deck for Jack, but to her great dismay, he was gone. She was surprised, therefore, when she heard his rich, warm voice come from behind her.

"Time to go, love," he said softly. She turned and looked back into his eyes again, noting that the want that filled them reflected how she felt inside perfectly.

--End Flashback--

Elizabeth opened her eyes, though she couldn't remember closing them, and looked up at Will, who decided not to comment on her obvious and sudden absence from both the conversation and the room.

"But," he started again slowly, "we can make it worth our while."

Elizabeth resisted the overwhelming urge to scoff loudly. "How are we going to do that?"

Will shrugged, and didn't say anything. It was almost as if he could tell what was inevitably coming next, and that somehow, maybe if he kept his mouth shut, this would prevent it in some way.

"Will," Elizabeth started tentatively, "I don't think we can."

Will didn't look as though this surprised him at all. It was as though he had been waiting for it to happen for a while. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Finally, he managed to talk.

"Are you saying it's over, then?" he asked quietly, as if he was scared of what she was going to say next.

"Not necassarily," she replied sadly, "I'm just saying that I'm not very happy here, and I don't understand how you can be."

Will nodded and sat down beside her on the sofa. "I guess I'm just not the pirate we thought I was," he smiled regretfully. Elizabeth looked at him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder.

"I do love you, Will," she assured him, "but I can't live here anymore; I have to get out."

He looked back round at her, an understanding smile on his face. "I didn't think I would be able to convince you to stay here for much longer, to be perfectly honest," Will admitted.

"Then why haven't you said anything before?" Elizabeth asked him, sounding slightly hurt. Will looked to the floor and avoided her eyes.

"I tried to tell myself that maybe," Will replied, pausing briefly as he spoke, taking a deep and seemingly painful breath before he continued, "maybe if we married and settled down together that you might realise that life in Port Royal isn't so bad after all."

"You don't understand, Will!" Elizabeth cried desperately, letting a few careless tears stream down her pale face, and letting her frustration get the better of her. "You may find your happiness here, with your blacksmith apprenticeship and with a steady wage to keep a family of your own on its feet but while I remain here in this restrictive town I shall not be the one to carry your children, or call myself your bride."

Her harsh words bit into him, and it hurt. "I see," he muttered quietly.

"Will, I'm sorry, truly I am," Elizabeth almost pleaded with him to understand how she felt, "but I have to leave. Whether you come with me or not is your choice alone, but no matter what you do or don't do, I have to go."

Will finally brought himself to nod. It was inevitable what was coming next. It was over between them. He would stay here, and she would leave.

"I guesst that this is where we end, is it?" Will asked, his voice barely above audible anymore.

Elizabeth let a few more painful tears of regret fall from her eyes before whispering, "I'm so sorry."

She moved closer to him, and placed her warm hands on his shoulders, making him jump slightly at the contact. He turned to look at her with sad eyes. She took this as the perfect, or opportune, moment to place a last kiss on Will's unresponsive lips.

Pulling back, they just stared at each other for a long while.

"I should leave," Will said finally, dejectedly. Elizabeth watched in silence as Will got up and left the room, hearing the front door closing not long afterwards, leaving the room empty and hollow, much like her.

* * *

I couldn't think of a scene in CotBP where Jack calls Elizabeth 'Lizzie' so I extended and embellished (heavily) a deleted scene from CotBP, and I have decided I might be doing this more often, 'cause I like it lol :)

Just so you know, Will and Elizabeth are going to remain friends, even after the rather emotional break-up. Aww :'(

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	6. Chapter 6 Little While Longer

More made-up CotBP scenes ahead, lol. Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 6 - Little While Longer_

Jack, as usual, was parading through the streets of Tortuga, a pretty wench giggling beside him, his arm hanging lazily around her shoulder as he whispered erotic things in her ear. Her profound blush could only deepen a shade when he grazed his lips against her cheek.

She playfully slapped the area of muscled chest that was showing through the opening of his cotton shirt, mockingly scolding him, "Jack, stop it!"

His gruff voice could only reply seductively, "Why?"

Not being able to come up with a good answer for him, she simply turned her head and kissed him, cupping his face with her hand as she did so.

They pulled apart a little, and Jack unwillingly moaned against the girl's lips, "Mmm, Lizzie..."

He felt her grow rigid against him as she drew back, shocked and frowning. "What did you just say?"

Jack looked at her in confusion. "What d'you...oh, shit."

It had dawned on Jack that she was most certainly _not _called Lizzie, Elizabeth, Eliza, or anything like that. She was called _Miranda_.

Miranda's eyes grew wider and her mouth opened further in disbelief. Then, she scowled at him furiously, leaned back a bit further, and Jack didn't even have time to prepare himself or move away before he saw her arm swing backwards and then he felt her hand collide painfully with the side of his face.

His hand flew up to the offended area, and he winced in pain while she marched away, nose held high in the air.

"OK, now I _may _have deserved that..." he muttered miserably as he watched her round a corner.

The throbbing in the cheek that he was sure was now bright red intensified as he drew his hand away, staring after the girl he'd been hoping to bed that night.

Sighing, he turned around, ready to seek refuge in a nearby inn or bar to drown his confusion in liquor and wonder where his muddled brain had gone.

* * *

It was less than three hours after Will's departure from her house that Elizabeth closed her bag, ignoring the tears falling from her eyes down her cheeks. She turned and looked all around her room for anything else that she might regret not taking with her.

And then she saw it.

**--Flashback--**

"We should return to the _Dauntless_," Elizabeth said weepily to Will.

Will nodded slowly. "Your fiance will be wanting to know you're safe."

Elizabeth recoiled at his words; they cut into her. He may not have meant them to sound harsh, but that didn't mean they didn't. She had nothing more to say to him and she hurried away from the scene in the cave moments after her eyes had landed on Jack Sparrow once again, standing not far behind Will, a gold crown perched on top of his head.

The look Jack had been giving her alarmed her; deep longing and his eyes dilated with want and need of her.

He watched her leave the cave, unsmiling. He scooped up a few more treasures under his arm and walked towards Will, who was still staring after Elizabeth.

"If ye were waiting for the opportune moment..." Jack said, his voice coming out more gruff and hoarse than he'd intended, "...that was it."

Will turned and looked at him incredulously, as if to say, 'You can't be serious!'

"Now, if ye wouldn't mind," Jack started again, an inward triumphant smile welling up inside him, "I'd be much obliged if ye'd drop me off at me ship."

Will watched as the pirate stalked away, before following dejectedly a minute later.

In the boat, Jack sat in the front, a truly depressed expression gracing his complexion. Elizabeth noticed this.

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said softly from behind him. He didn't turn around at her comfort.

"They done what's right by them," he spoke firmly, but even so, his voice dripping with sadness. "Can't expect more than that."

Elizabeth watched his back for a long while as Will rowed them in silence to the _Dauntless_. Totally unimpressed with the situation, Norrington supervised their boarding of the ship with great discretion. Only after all three were safely on board did he march away and give orders.

Elizabeth made to go straight for her room, leaving both Will and Jack staring after her.

She shut the door behind her and collapsed against it, eyes closed and breathing heavily. Images of Jack swam in front of her eyes. A golden smile tinged with hidden humour, dark eyes boring into the depths of her own clear blue ones.

She dwelled no more on the subject, and instead threw herself down on her bed, falling asleep with exhaustion wracking her body minutes later.

* * *

Jack kneeled beside Elizabeth's bedside, shaking her sleeping form gently. She groaned in annoyance, her eyes groggily opening.

The first thing she remembers seeing was a red bandanna with a glittering gold piece of treasure hanging from it.

"Jack?" she asked sleepily. "What is it?"

Her voice was growing louder; Jack panicked momentarily. "Hush, love, hush."

He leaned over to her head, and she felt his lips moving against her ear as he whispered, "Don't tell anyone about this little visit, Lizzie; I have something for ye."

One of his hands reached down to his trousers and for a moment Elizabeth's eyes widened in fear. She backed away from Jack, but sighed in relief when his hand appeared again, clutching a letter he'd pulled from a pocket.

He beckoned her closer again, and continued in hushed tones, "I came here at this hour because I couldn't risk any other time. Yer fiance already looks down upon me and me way of life. Read this when yer alone. And I'll be seeing ye in the mornin'."

She looked up at him expressionlessly as he planted a soft peck on her forehead before putting the letter on her bed, and walking away from her.

"Jack," she said quickly, his hand resting on the door handle. He looked over his shoulder at her. She had nothing to say to him, so instead, she only smiled at him.

He smiled back at her. "Night, love."

Her smile didn't fade until he'd left her alone, the spot on her forehead where he'd kissed her tingling unusually. She looked down at the letter. She didn't read it, she didn't even unfold it, she just stared at it before falling asleep again.

**--End Flashback--**

The letter was still laying on top of her dresser. She had never read it. As she thought of it, guilt plagued her. She walked over to it and picked it up, turning it over and over in her hands, but never opening it. Before curiosity overcame her, she tucked it down into the front of her dress, in between her breasts.

She turned back around to her bag, and moved it to the foot of the bed. Glancing out of the window, she saw it was steadily growing darker outside. She sighed.

Only a little while longer now.

* * *

Well, I certainly enjoy making up CotBP scenes; it's fun :) Anyway, did you enjoy that chapter? Lemme know!

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	7. Chapter 7 One and a Half Letters

OK, I have a few readers bursting with curiosity about the letter from Jack. Teehee, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 7 - One and a Half Letters_

Elizabeth stood in front of her window for hours that night, just watching, and waiting, until the moon was fully in the sky, a brilliant orb of light in the surrounding darkness. Other than the moon, tonight the sky was empty.

She sighed again deeply; it was time to go. As she carefully and as silent as a mouse crept down the grand staircase, she took one last look around the sweeping mansion so lavishly decorated, and thought how she couldn't be more pleased she was leaving.

She tip-toed across the entrance hall, watching out for the certain floorboards she knew would creak beneath her feet, and entered the living room in which she'd sat and broken up with Will less than ten hours before.

She stopped in front of the mahogany desk her father took such pride in, and put her own neatly written letter on it; a place where he would surely find it first thing in the morning.

Elizabeth cast one last glance around the large room, and hurried out of the front door, leaving the letter forlorn on the table.

_Dear Father,_

_Before you progress any further with this letter, I implore you to pour yourself a strong drink and sit down. Also, I beg you to not call out the Navy or any kind of search party to look for me. Don't press Will with questions; he did not encourage me...my heart did._

_You may or may not have heard of the place, but I am headed for a port called Tortuga. And before you ask someone, yes, that is Spanish for 'turtle'. I thought you might notice._

_Anyway, I have never been to such a place before, but by the time you are reading this, I shall be on one of your trade ships that stops there to 're-fuel'. In sailor talk, this means to stay on land for a while, get drunk, be lazy, and get a few wenches to accompany you during your stay._

_Will has told me a few stories of the port from when he briefly visited with a pirate captain I once knew, and you did too, though I doubt your old memory can remember. I shan't mention any names here because I doubt your worry won't get the best of you, and I think you might plan to send someone after me._

_Back to the point, Will has told me of this place, and he says it's naught to be afraid of. So, please father, don't worry about me._

_Just know that I love you. I wish I could promise my return, but I would not wish to fill your old heart with such false hope. It would be nothing but lies if I said such a thing, whether it be in words or on paper._

_Goodbye, Father, I wish you well._

_Elizabeth xxx_

* * *

Elizabeth's mind ran over the well-remembered words she had written, feeling sorrow and guilt at their recollection. She'd spent at least a whole hour on writing it, and she was sure that her father would notice the blotches here and there that made the ink run, and the paper to thin, which was caused by her own tears hitting the paper.

She was now on the very ship she had spoken of in her letter, dressed in sailor's clothes and the letter from Jack, that she was itching to open, tucked safely inside a trouser pocket. It was still very dark outside, and Elizabeth was lying beneath the covers of a bed, in her own cabin that she'd been assigned at her arrival.

The candle on her bedside cabinet was still flickering and casting dancing shadows on Jack's letter. Curiosity finally got the better of her, and she slowly, to build up more anticipation, unfolded the uncreased letter and began to read.

_Dear Lizzie, or Elizabeth, whichever pleases you._

_I know that our first meeting was not the most ideal way to start off a friendship, but even so, I like to consider us friends. We have grown fonder of each other...well, I certainly have grown to like you more and more, since I have watched you turn from the prissy Governor's daughter into a woman seeking freedom._

_And I can say honestly, a rare occurrence darlin', that I'm truly sorry I was not the one to give it to you._

_Anyway, all that's in the past must stay there, and new things from the future brought forward. I got that quote from a friend a while back, in case you're wonderin'._

_I know that upon our return to Port Royal, that I will surely die, and meet my match at the end of a noose, my feet dangling above the ground. This thought does not scare me in the slightest; it's the thought that had I been more polite and civil when around the people who delight in accompanying you, things might have turned out differently._

_But more so differently between us. I know what you're thinking at this moment; 'He's gone absolutely crazy'. And you're half-right._

_I've been crazy since the moment I first saw you, and I dived into that water not knowing what I'd find. Thank God those two pitiful uniformed men couldn't swim, eh?_

_I don't know if you believe me, or even if you care...but just know that when I march upto that hangman's noose upon arrival back at the lovely Port Royal, it's not me who'll be in my thoughts, lass...it'll be you._

_Remember that._

_Captain Jack Sparrow x_

The last few sentences shook Elizabeth, and she felt tears prick her eyes as she re-read it. _'It's not me who'll be in my thoughts, lass...it'll be you'. _Jack Sparrow, saying these words from the bottom of his heart? It wasn't possible.

And yet she didn't want to tell herself that. She looked over the letter once more, and noticed something she hadn't seen before; a few scribbles just above where he'd written 'Remember that' and just below 'It'll be you', where the pirate had clearly written something and then decided against it.

What had he not wanted her to see? Perhaps a confession too low for a pirate with such a reputation?

Thoughts of what might have been written there wouldn't give Elizabeth peace for the rest of the night, not even in dreaming, where she dreamed of Jack Sparrow, sober as hell, dipping a quill into an inkpot and then putting quill to paper, writing down the words she'd not been allowed to read, and then scribbling them out harshly.

It wasn't until the ship had arrived in Tortuga, one week later, that she found the only person she could talk to while she was here; Captain Jack Sparrow.

* * *

OK, I know that many people will be quite disappointed with the letters, but, hey, I'm not perfect, I'm only human ;P

Review please!

QueenSerenity818 out.


	8. Chapter 8 Not Quite a Pirate Yet

The scribbled part of the letter will not be revealed in this chapter, so don't bother getting excited lol :) Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

__

Chapter 8 - Not Quite a Pirate Yet

There he was, in all his splendour, leaving a pub, but not looking half as drunk as he usually did. He rubbed his head as he bit his lip beautifully. Elizabeth found herself biting her own lip just looking at him. She shook off the feeling enough to gather the courage to walk up to him.

He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the floor while he adjusted his hat. He took a single step forwards and stopped. She now stood before him.

His eyes slowly travelled up from her boots to her face, her hair tied up and hanging over her shoulder, a hat resting on top of her head.

"Jack," she smiled softly. He did not, as she'd expected look pleased; he looked surprised. A lot. But it was her turn for the surprise when he went forward and held her in a crushing embrace. He removed the hat and kissed her hair once before replacing it.

"Lizzie," he whispered. _Now _he sounded happy to see her.

After a long while of hugging, he let her go. She smiled up at him as he looked her up and down, such as a distant relative would when you hadn't seen them in months.

"What brings ye to Tortuga, Lizzie?" he asked, frowning now. "Surely a bonny lass such as yerself should be back in Port Royal dancing the night away with yer husband, should she not?"

Elizabeth ignored his ability to be outright, and answered, "Don't mention that place to me anymore. That is not my home now."

"Oh?" Jack asked, his eyebrows raising noticeably. "And where might you call home now?"

She smiled boldly. "I intend to acquire a ship."

Jack paused a moment, and then the laughter began. Elizabeth frowned at him.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Apologies, Lizzie, but ye'd be hard pushed to find someone round 'ere who'll give a lass a ship," Jack replied earnestly, still chuckling.

"Oh," Elizabeth said, defeated. "Well, there must be someone who..."

Jack watched her attentively as she tried to find a loophole in her situation.

"Ye haven't thought this through much, have ye?" Jack asked. She looked at him sheepishly.

"No," she mumbled. Jack smiled.

"Tell ye what," he said after thinking a minute. "Why don't ye come with me back into the bar behind me, and we can talk about this over a drink?"

Elizabeth eyed him suspiciously. Drinking alcohol with Jack Sparrow? Could she trust him?

As if he'd read her mind, he went on, "Don't ye trust me, love?"

Elizabeth's lack of hesitation surprised even herself. "Of course."

He gently took hold of her hand, and Elizabeth had to stop her breath catching in her throat when he did. "Come on, then."

He flashed her that golden smile of his as he led her into the pub. He told her to find an empty table while he went to the bar to get drinks. She moved through the crowd with a little difficulty, squinting in the dim light to see a table free.

"Lizzie!" she heard Jack yell somewhere behind her. She spun around to search for him amid the chaos exploding all around her. After a few minutes she still couldn't find him. She squinted and looked around the room carefully, but to no avail.

She felt a strong arm wind its way around her waist and looked up and saw Jack, trying frantically to steer her through the brawling pirates. She felt her feet being moved for her and he sat her down in a chair at a table where he sat opposite her.

Without pausing to ask what it was, she lifted the bottle in front of her to her lips and took a long drink. She laughed when she lowered the bottle at the surprised look on Jack's face. She smacked her lips while she thought.

"I've had that before," she observed dreamily. "Rum."

"You're with me, darlin'," he said smoothly. "Of course yer gettin' rum."

Elizabeth chuckled and took another drink. Jack set down his own bottle after a long swig.

"Now," he started, clearing his throat, "what are ye gonna do about this ship business?"

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well, the pirates are gonna be clearin' out soon enough, Lizzie, and that means the town will be deserted," Jack explained frankly.

"Why will they all be clearing out?" she asked him.

"It's just the time o' the year where the best place to be is on the seas," Jack shrugged. "Just before the summer comes around, y'know."

Elizabeth nodded and looked down at the table. Jack watched her intently while she struggled to come to a decision.

"I don't know, Jack," she admitted quietly, or as quiet as you could be in that room but still be heard, "What can I do?"

He smiled when she looked at him. "I suppose I always have a spare cabin on board me ship...and ye could take it if ye wanted to."

Elizabeth's eyes glowed at the offer. "You'd really let me? Why would you do that?"

But her heart sunk again as she thought back over the letter she'd read just a week ago, and she realised what a stupid question that was.

Jack paused; he looked uneasy now. "I can't leave ye here all on yer onesies, love," he lied blatantly. Elizabeth saw through his cover-up.

"Are you sure that's why?" she asked teasingly. He eyed her suspiciously.

"What makes ye say that?" he asked slowly.

Elizabeth sighed. "I read your letter, Jack."

She waited a moment while he racked his brains for a memory or indication of a letter. Realization dawned on his face and he said softly, "Oh."

Elizabeth avoided his eyes though his desperately searched for hers; he wanted to see her response. She didn't even notice that her hand had been lying on the table and jumped when he laid his warm hand on hers. She turned and met his eyes.

But he did nothing; he just waited. "Lizzie?" he prompted.

"I thought it was..." she took a deep breath, "...sweet."

Jack's eyebrows raised. "Sweet?" he repeated.

She nodded, her mouth slightly agape. He smiled.

"When did you read it?" he questioned interestedly.

She took another long drink from her rum bottle and noticed with dismay that there was no more left. "Maybe we should go outside."

"My ship's in the harbour; we could stand out on deck and talk," he offered lightly. She nodded, saying nothing.

So, together they left the crowded pub and the abandoned streets and before long they were indeed standing on the deck of the _Black Pearl_, silence surrounding them uncomfortably.

They stood against the railings and Elizabeth thought back to the last time they'd been standing like this on a ship...he'd very nearly kissed her.

Avoiding these thoughts, Elizabeth asked curiously, "What was written in the part of the letter you scribbled out?"

Jack waited and tore his eyes away from her as she turned to look at him. Instead, he looked down over the railing of the ship.

"I believe I don't quite remember," he answered quietly.

Elizabeth, sensing that she was trying to steer them through dangerous waters, bit back a scoff and tried to change the subject to a more light-hearted matter. "Do you remember the last time we were, or we _thought _we were, out on the deck of a ship...alone?"

Jack frowned. "No."

"Oh, I do," she smiled pleasantly, moving closer to him. "We got _unbearably _close...beyond excruciating, might I add...and we nearly kissed beneath the moonlight, but then we were bloody interrupted by James Norrington."

She spat out Norrington's name bitterly. Jack's smile had been growing slowly wider as Elizabeth spoke, bringing back the memory vividly.

"Somehow I seem to recall the event again," Jack smirked. "Perhaps we should try again, this time with no interruptions?"

"Certainly not, Captain Sparrow," Elizabeth said sharply. "For you are a pirate, and I am not quite one yet. So we shall have to wait."

Elizabeth gave a gleeful smile as she sauntered off, leaving Jack staring after her.

"I want me kiss!" he pouted childishly, but so that she could hear him. So she blew an air kiss over her shoulder at him before marching into the free cabin. Jack sneered.

"So be it, m'lady," he smiled devilishly, "so be it."

* * *

Hehe, Elizabeth's a teasing little so and so, isn't she? Lol.

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride out.


	9. Chapter 9 Refusal

Little bit of trivia for you here; this wasn't originally chapter nine. In fact, it wasn't a chapter at all :) The chapter ten, which will be published tomorrow, I promise, was originally supposed to be here. But it was getting too into it a bit too soon for my liking.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 9 – Refusal_

Jack stared after Elizabeth as she sauntered away into her cabin. Gibbs approached him.

"It's obvious ye have a soft spot for Liz, Jack, go talk to her," Gibbs told him.

Jack nodded.

He made after her. Just before she managed to shut her door in his face, he slipped through the gap. She shut the door and turned to face him, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips. He returned the smile, flashing her his golden grin, as ever.

"Jack," she scolded lightly. He moved closer to her, inch by glorious inch. Soon he was so close that she could feel his breath against her lips. Everything was starting to become blurred and out of focus. She felt Jack take her hand and kiss it delicately.

Then he let her hand drop and went to press his lips against hers, but she gasped at the realization of what he was doing and turned her head to the side at the last moment, so he ended up kissing the base of her cheek. Everything had suddenly come back into sharp focus, to both of their great dismays.

He pulled back and grinned at her heavily breathing form. It suddenly struck her that he had her pressed up against the door.

"I told ye I wanted me kiss, darlin'," Jack whispered huskily, "and I ain't leavin' till I get it."

"Well, then," Elizabeth smiled pleasantly, "I guess you'll be waiting in here all night."

Jack's grin grew wider as his mind moved over to the dirty meaning behind her words. "Tha' sounds quite alright to me, love."

Elizabeth's brow knitted in confusion and then she slapped the muscled chest showing through the gap in Jack's linen shirt. Her breath hitched in her throat as she watched her hand linger on his smooth skin a few seconds longer than she'd intended.

Jack smirked. Her eyes slowly travelled up to meet his. Her mouth opened a fraction, and she was now breathing on his neck.

Jack's head lowered into the crook of Elizabeth's neck and she actually stopped breathing as he started kissing her there. She wound her hands into his dreadlocks, losing all coherent thought as his lips moved from her neck to her jaw line.

"Isn't this enough of a kiss for you?" Elizabeth asked breathlessly.

Jack moved his lips to her ear, and she felt his hot breath against it as he whispered, "Not quite." His mouth went back to her neck, and Elizabeth's heart fluttered at the sensation.

Her jumbled mind quickly mulled over things to get him out of her cabin long enough for her to lock the door, and she smiled as she drew to a conclusion.

"Tell you what," she started teasingly, "how long are you prepared to wait for a kiss from me, hmm?"

"Not very long, darlin'," he replied, keeping his lips working Elizabeth's neck. "One woman cannot hold me for too long, y'know."

"Well, what you're doing now feels...wonderful," Elizabeth admitted, and she felt Jack smile widely, "so if I do the same to you, will you leave me be?"

Jack pulled back and stared deep into her eyes for any trace of a lie or trickery. He found none and put his hand around her waist as she pressed her lips gently to, not his neck, but the bare expanse of chest showing through his shirt that she had so recently slapped.

As she kissed him, her mouth travelled up from his chest to his neck, her hands weaving themselves in and out of his hair. Her lips continued their journey north and she temptingly brushed her lips over his before kissing him lightly on the cheek, then retreating fully.

They were an amazing few minutes, and Jack was more than happy to leave afterwards. Elizabeth was blushing and Jack kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, love," he smiled devilishly, a smile that made Elizabeth go very weak in the knees. He finally removed his intoxicating body from against her weak one, much to her disappointment. She moved from against the door to let him past.

Just as he was about to leave, however, she grabbed his wrist and he turned to face her.

"I've changed my mind," was all she whispered before she kissed him fiercely on the lips. He responded immediately, his arms wrapping themselves around her waist as she shut the door. Her arms flew up around his neck and their kiss remained unbroken as he backed them both towards Elizabeth's bed. She landed on it first, and he hovered above her.

Elizabeth gripped the lapels of his coat tightly as their kiss was halted for the necessity of oxygen. Both were panting, but that didn't stop Jack leaning forward to kiss her again. This time when they broke apart, Jack went to remove his coat, thinking that he knew where this was going, but Elizabeth's hand upon his stopped him.

"You got more of a kiss than I'd ever intended there, Jack," Elizabeth panted, "I think you should leave now."

There was no doubt that Jack was now annoyed. But he continued kissing her; Elizabeth couldn't help but respond; his kiss was too powerful to refuse. Finally she summoned up the courage and strength to push him off, sitting up in the process.

"What?" Jack asked impatiently, "do ye want me or not?"

Elizabeth's glazed eyes roved over his body and how she much she wanted his naked body touching hers...what was she thinking?!

"Oh God, I want you," Elizabeth muttered, afraid to admit it even to herself. "I want you so much..."

He leaned in and captured her lips under his again, but she groaned and pushed him away again.

"Then give in," he mumbled irritably, kissing her again. She let him push her down onto the bed again as they continued kissing.

"No," she whispered as they parted again. "I can't."

"Why?" Jack asked desperately. "We both want this..."

"I don't," she lied. He saw right through it. "I still love Will." _At least the last bit was true..._

"Yeah, right, love..." he sneered. "But if ye insist, I'll go."

Tears brimmed at her eyes as she whispered, "Thankyou."

So Jack dejectedly got up and went to leave the room.

"Jack!" Elizabeth called out sadly. He stopped walking, but his back still faced her. "I want you to forget this ever happened...please."

"Whatever ye want, Lizzie," Jack said coldly, before leaving.

Elizabeth knew she'd hurt him, and she busied herself with unpacking to distract her from her guilty thoughts.

--

Jack stormed past various crew members angrily until he stopped in front of Gibbs.

"Ye know that soft spot ye mentioned earlier?" Jack said harshly. Gibbs merely nodded.

"Well, that has now turned into a rather _hard _spot," Jack went on, very irritated.

Gibbs frowned, but after casting a glance down, he understood perfectly. Jack let out an aggravated grumble and muttered something like, "Stupid wench" as he marched into his own cabin.

After he'd gone, Gibbs burst into a silent fit of laughter at his Captain's predicament.

* * *

If you didn't get that last little joke, then you're probably too young to read this :P

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I promise the next chapter is a very 'O-M-G!' chapter. So I'm making you wait, 'cause I'm that mean :)

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride (new name) out.


	10. Chapter 10 A Different Kind Of Illness

OK, bit of a long-ish chapter here, for you all! This was originally chapter 9, but I changed it :) Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 10 – A Different Kind of Illness_

Jack and the crew had made plans to leave within the week. There was no doubt whatsoever that Jack was eager to get back on the sea, sailing as free as a bird. Then again, maybe his name was Sparrow for a reason.

Elizabeth had settled into the cabin Jack had promised her quite well, and had even unpacked her things all in the first night, after her and Jack's little incident. She hoped very much that she was there to stay. She laid the letter down on her bedside cabinet, and put her pirate's clothes and her many nightdresses in the chest of drawers that was in the room, no doubt stolen from a lavish house such as her own.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan, until two nights before Jack had planned on leaving, Elizabeth was taken seriously ill, confined to the bed in her cabin, struck down by the terrible illness. The nurse who resided in Tortuga didn't know what it was, but still advised the Captain and his crew not to set sail, or even leave the docks before Elizabeth was well again.

Needless to say, this did not please Captain Jack.

--

Elizabeth sat up weakly in her bed as Jack walked in through her cabin door.

"Jack?" she asked groggily, having only just awoken from sleep minutes before. Jack paced the room slowly, breathing heavily, avoiding her inquiring eyes as his feet hit the floor softly again and again.

"Jack?" Elizabeth pressed again, watching as he stopped walking, and his head turned to look at her. He looked at her only a moment, and then sat down on the side of the bed, taking her hand tightly in his. His eyes were filled with worry.

"Yer awfully pale," he said quietly, brushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "Do ye feel OK?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Jack breathed a small sigh of relief. "Good."

Elizabeth watched as he turned away; he seemed to be finding his knee very interesting at this moment in time.

"Jack?" she said softly. He turned back to her, the worry still very evident in his eyes, and now his face too. "Why did you really come here tonight?"

"I'm very worried about ye," he replied earnestly. "The nurse told us she didn't know what was wrong. Lizzie, in this day and age, that can't mean anythin' good."

He whispered the last sentence to her, very gently. Elizabeth's eyes grew tired and sad, something he'd never seen happen to her before.

She didn't sound convinced with herself at all as she tried to assure him, "I'll be fine."

Jack squeezed her hand tighter as she lowered herself onto the big, fluffy pillows the nurse had provided them. She closed her eyes and turned her head onto the side. Jack sat and watched her for what seemed like hours, listening to her shallow breathing as she slept. He couldn't help but worry about her.

Truth be told, Jack Sparrow didn't know what he would do if he lost Elizabeth Swann.

--

Jack emerged from Elizabeth's cabin after watching her sleep peacefully for about twenty minutes. Gibbs approached him, looking concerned.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked quietly.

Jack hesitated. "She says she feels OK, but she looks bloody awful. And considerin' she's one of the loveliest creatures on God's earth, that's bloody well sayin' somethin'."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. Recalling a certain conversation not long ago, he asked hesitantly, "So ye still hold a soft spot for 'er then, Cap'n?"

"Aye," Jack answered absent-mindedly. His eyes widened at what he'd just admitted. "Ye dare tell anyone about this conversation, and that is when yer life ends. Got it?"

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs smirked, walking off before Jack decided he'd kill him now.

_Do I have a soft spot fer Lizzie? _Jack thought to himself as he went upto the helm. He stood and looked out over the edge of the back of the ship, deep in thought.

--

Elizabeth groaned as she stirred herself awake. It seemed very dark in the cabin, with the only light coming from a candle on her bedside cabinet. The shadows cast by said candle made the letter beside it look awfully eerie.

According to her calculations, Elizabeth would have started her course around about now, and that meant she'd have to change the bed sheets, and also her nightgown. She sighed and put it off for another minute or so before regretfully climbing out of the warm bed. She stood beside the bed and pulled the covers back, but to her great surprise she found the bed sheets were completely clean, and free of any blood at all.

Elizabeth's brow furrowed in confusion as her mind set to working out dates. But everything seemed to be right. She shrugged off the matter and climbed back into the bed gratefully.

_Give it a few days,_ Elizabeth thought carelessly. _If it hasn't started by then, that's the time to panic._

--

And so, Elizabeth waited. She waited another week, and still nothing.

Elizabeth started feeling increasingly light-headed. The room spun and she was dizzy almost all the time. Her legs had grown so weak that she couldn't even climb out of bed. She tossed and turned in her sleep, having awful nightmares about Will, and herself, and sometimes even Jack.

This only caused her more worry. For some reason, the nightmares about Jack affected her the most. She would toss and turn, pleading with herself to wake up, and when she did, her body would be covered in cold sweat and her breathing heavy. She would sit and she would cry, alone, into the night, with the image of Jack _dead_, a sword protruding from his chest, refusing to leave her head.

So it came as great comfort when Jack decided to visit her one evening. Elizabeth was lying down, deathly white, her eyes blank, and her hair limp and unkempt. Jack's eyes widened at the sight of her. He hurried to her side, and, as he had done a week ago, he took her hand in his, clasping it gently, but was shocked to find her hands unbelievably cold. If it wasn't for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, that Jack made a good job of checking (_Pirate._) before looking away, he'd have thought she was dead.

Elizabeth couldn't even summon up the strength to sit up. She smiled weakly at Jack as he looked down on her with uncontained worry.

"Elizabeth, love, ye can't be feelin' OK," Jack said softly. "I'll go and get Gibbs to get the nurse."

Elizabeth couldn't protest. Her body refused to allow it. So, she lay there in silence as Jack left the room for a minute. She reached out for him when he came back. He put the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Lizzie, yer freezin'," Jack exclaimed quietly. She nodded in agreement. Neither had anything more to say after that, so they waited patiently, Jack's eyes fixed on their holding hands, Elizabeth's thumb gently stroking the back of his hand, until the nurse arrived.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," Jack called out, standing up. He stayed beside the bed, and her hand tightened on his; she didn't want him to leave.

"Jack," Elizabeth whispered so softly that he barely heard it. He looked down at her. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I'm so scared."

Jack squatted down on the floor so he was face to face with her. "Don't be, darlin', everythin' is gonna be fine."

Elizabeth nodded sadly as a single tear fell. Jack wiped it away with his thumb and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'll be waitin' outside."

Elizabeth watched regretfully as Jack left the room to make way for the nurse, and he couldn't help but notice her eyelashes flutter at the speed of light as he walked past. He scowled at her and she flushed deep red and cleared her throat as she walked over to Elizabeth.

--

Jack refused to do anything other than wait patiently outside Elizabeth's door, pacing back and forth, wracked with worry. He shrugged off Gibbs' insistence that if he did something else, it'd take his mind off it.

The nurse soon emerged from Elizabeth's room, and Jack's worry only increased at her grim expression. She looked up at him, didn't flutter her eyelashes this time, and took a deep breath.

"She wants to see you," was all she said before making her way off the ship.

Jack wasted no time in going into the cabin. Elizabeth's face was stained with many tears and her feeble sobs nearly broke Jack's heart. She looked up at him with teary eyes and he moved closer. He knelt down beside her and she looked him straight in the eyes.

"Lizzie, love, what's wrong?" Jack asked gently, caressing her wet cheek. "What did the nurse say?"

He wasn't sure he even wanted to know. Elizabeth took a deep, shuddering breath as she whispered, "I'm dying, Jack."

* * *

:'( Poor Lizzie, and poor Jack! Don't worry, this story is far from over; I'm aiming at around a fifty-chapter story, possibly more, here!

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride (new name :P) out.


	11. Chapter 11 Like You

Lil bit of a mushy chapter ahead, but y'know. Never mind. Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 11 – Like You_

Jack could not believe he was hearing this. Lizzie couldn't be dying...she couldn't...there was no other way to put it...she just couldn't be.

"N-n-no, yer not, Lizzie," he said, stammering on his unsure words, and he didn't know who he was trying to convince more; her or him. "Ye can't be, 'cause that'd mean that ye'd be leavin' the crew, the _Pearl_..." he put emphasis on the last word, "and _me_."

"I'm sorry, Jack," Elizabeth said, tears still staining her once lively face.

Jack looked at her in shock. "Don't be sorry, Lizzie! It's not yer fault! It never will be either!"

Elizabeth was surprised at the passion with which he said that. What she'd meant was that she was sorry that she had to tell him...she didn't want him upset...wait. Was he even upset? Or was this merely another Captain Jack Sparrow façade to try and win over her affections?

Those thoughts vanished from her mind as she locked her eyes with his and she saw...overwhelming sadness; the kind of sadness she'd not come to expect from someone like Jack.

But who was someone like Jack? Deceitful? Lustful? And it pained her to think this one..._using_?

No, someone like Jack was...courageous, brave, charming and caring. Caring? Did she really think he cared..._about her_? She was being stupid, wasn't she? Somehow she couldn't quite convince herself. The look in his eyes told her that she was everything he cared about most in the world right now.

He finally took her cold hand in his again.

"Jack..." she whispered. He didn't take his eyes off their touching hands. "I'm scared."

He looked up at her, sympathy filling every one of his features. He caressed her cheek softly. "Don't be scared, love, everyone on board will take care of ye."

Her voice was pleading with him as she spoke softly, "I don't _want _them to take care of me, though, Jack, and I don't _want _to die."

"Nobody wants to die, love," Jack said calmly. He knew all about that, didn't he?

"Will you come and sit beside me?" Elizabeth whispered, her voice cracking. Her eyes were begging him not to refuse, and so he didn't.

He moved around to the other side of the bed, where there was a full side empty and cold. He sat down on it, and she tried to lift herself up to sit beside him. Seeing her struggle, Jack kindly offered her his hand with a warm smile, and she took it gratefully as he pulled her up.

She breathed a deep sigh, closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder.

He went to wrap his arm around her, and he did...briefly. But he suddenly recoiled at the thought of what he was doing, and also how cold she was.

"It's OK, Jack, you can hold me if you want to," Elizabeth smiled, a trace of amusement in her voice.

Jack was surprised by this. "No, it's not OK...yer ill...it would be –"

"It would be fine," Elizabeth assured him.

Jack considered a moment, then took his coat off, and draped it around Elizabeth. She looked at him in confusion.

"Yer too cold," Jack explained. She smiled at him thankfully, and put her arms through the sleeves of the coat, pulling it tight around her, burying her head into the collar.

"What are ye doin'?" Jack asked, looking down at her questioningly.

Elizabeth laid her head back on the top of his arm and felt his arm come around her back again.

"It smells like you," Elizabeth said dreamily. "It's nice. Comforts me."

Jack chuckled a little bit. "So, yer sayin' my smell comforts ye?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all..." Elizabeth corrected him. "I'm saying that _you _comfort me."

Elizabeth noticed that Jack's other hand was on his knee closest to her. She took a deep breath and apprehensively reached out for it, taking it in hers. He didn't look at her with question in his eyes this time; he just turned his hand over so he was clutching her hand too.

She sat for a few minutes, marvelling in the sight of their hands holding. Even though he'd held her hand a few times before while she was in here, this time it really sunk in for her that Jack Sparrow was holding her hand. It was a giddying feeling it gave her.

"Jack," she said slowly, "can you promise a couple of things?"

"Of course," he mumbled, also staring at their hands.

"First thing," Elizabeth smiled, "I don't want anyone to know that I'm dying. Please, Jack, I'm begging you not to tell anyone."

"I won't, love," Jack whispered, "not unless ye change yer mind."

"And second thing; stay with me tonight," Elizabeth whispered, her voice barely audible.

Jack squeezed her hand gently, causing her to let out a small gasp (he smiled), as he told her softly, "I won't leave, I promise."

She looked up at him with teary eyes and mouthed 'Thank you' to him. He gave her a comforting little squeeze and she nestled her head into the top of his arm again. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.

He studied her sleeping face for a moment, before gently lowering them both back to lie down. He stayed on top of the covers, just in case anybody barged in, which he'd be very annoyed at too.

Her grip on his arm tightened even though she was unconscious, and he gently kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Lizzie," he whispered, his own sudden drowsiness, caused no doubt by overwhelming worry, finally overcoming him. "Sleep tight."

And that's what they did.

--

Jack woke up first the next morning, and was surprised to find Elizabeth's head nestled into the side of his chest, and her arm, which he noticed with a smile, still wore his coat, draped over his waist. She seemed to be very peaceful and content.

He seemed to be quite a way up the bed, and he snuggled further down. She moaned in apparent annoyance at being stirred, but did not wake up.

All in all, this was a pretty beautiful moment...but not _quite _as beautiful as it should have been. And then Jack remembered that Lizzie was dying...

...which, had she not, this would have been the wonderful moment he had expected it would be, and also surprisingly awkward, because then Elizabeth would ask him what the hell he was doing lying on her bed.

Jack couldn't help but smile at the thought of that situation.

* * *

Awww, poor Jack, always lookin' on the bright side :(

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride out.


	12. Chapter 12 Apples and Soup

I am SOOOO sorry for the long update wait, but to be brutally honest, I had no idea what was gonna be in this chapter...but here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 12 – Apples and Soup_

By the time Elizabeth awoke, Jack had already come to his senses and left. She sat up in her bed, feeling slightly heavy for some reason. She looked down and saw that Jack had let her keep his coat on. She pulled it tighter around herself again, breathing in his scent that lingered on the fabric.

Turning her head slightly her eyes subconsciously registered the letter still lying on the bedside cabinet. She sighed; Jack certainly wasn't offering any sort of explanation towards it.

She carefully reached down under her pillow and pulled out the book she had hidden beneath it; '_The Legends of Captain Jack Sparrow_', a book she found rather amusing because of the things it said about him that she knew to be false.

She smiled faintly and settled back down onto the pillows, flipping the book open to the page she'd marked, and began reading.

--

Jack hadn't even taken to the helm in the whole two weeks he'd been out on deck since leaving a sleeping Elizabeth peacefully alone in her quarters. That was the first sign that something was wrong, and Gibbs was quick to notice it.

"Cap'n?" he asked loudly, making Jack jump violently and swear loudly as he was rattled from his silent stupor.

"What is it, Joshamee?" Jack asked after cursing profusely under his breath, turning to face his loyal first mate with increasing annoyance. Gibbs recoiled mildly; Jack _never _called him 'Joshamee'...it was always just plain old 'Gibbs'.

"Um...well, ye seem te be a bit...'off', since ye went into Miss 'Lizabeth's quarters that night, Cap'n, an' me an' several other members o' the crew couldn't help but notice tha' ye never returned to deck afore only a couple o' days ago, an' –"

"Is there any more to this babble of an explanation?" Jack snapped sharply.

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak with a witty retort, decided against it, and shut his mouth again, giving him a rather alarming resemblance to a fish.

"Thought not," Jack grunted, turning back to the railings again, but Gibbs remained where he was, refusing to let the matter drop.

"Listen, Cap'n –" Jack rolled his eyes, "– it's still only eleven o'clock. Why don't ye go down te the galley and get some breakfast, or maybe even some dinner, aye?"

"I don't feel like eatin'," Jack muttered childishly.

Gibbs cast a quick glance at Jack's hand resting on the railing, and noticed with widened eyes that he was gripping it so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs mumbled quietly. Jack's knuckles regained a tiny smidgen of colour. "Wha' happened in her cabin that night?"

Jack's grip on the railings slackened entirely and Gibbs watched with baited breath as his Captain paled significantly. Jack tore his gaze from the horizon and instead looked down into the crystal waters beside the bottom of the ship. His breathing had turned heavy and...sad?

"She..." Jack started softly, his voice cracking slightly. Gibbs waited.

To his great surprise, Jack started walking away from Gibbs, but only took a few steps before saying over his shoulder, "She told me what the nurse said."

"And tha' changed everythin'?" Gibbs asked in a low voice, almost incredulously, before Jack had time to walk any further away from him.

Jack paused. His voice was barely audible above the sloshing of the waves against the hull. In fact, Jack wasn't sure if Gibbs heard, or was even listening anymore, and whether his question had been a rhetorical one.

So it was more to himself that he whispered, "Aye. It's changed everything."

And without even waiting to see if Gibbs was finished talking to him, Jack walked off again, making his way through the double doors in between the two stairways leading upto the helm, down the stairs that said doors opened to, and turned right down the corridor on his way to the galley for an attempt at breakfast.

He found himself slowing down to a halt outside Elizabeth's cabin door. He stared longingly at the dark wood for a few minutes at least, before his sense of good judgement caught up with him and he proceeded to the lavish galley.

Much to Jack's surprise, he found the galley completely devoid of any human life other than himself. He plonked himself down into the chair at the head of the long table, staring at the fruit bowl in front of him curiously.

He was just about to reach for a rather delicious looking red apple when a soft, confused voice made him jump.

"Jack?"

Jack's head spun around in response to his name. Elizabeth stood in the doorway, gripping the doorframe tightly in an attempt to stay upright, looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you..." she muttered, a light tinge of pink pricking her cheeks, adding colour to her otherwise pale face.

Jack stood up and walked over to her, reaching out for her hand. "It's alright, love, in fact I was just musin' over how depressin' the lack of company in here is."

Jack smiled pleasantly and Elizabeth took his hand, letting him lead her over to the chair he'd recently vacated.

She sat down in it gladly, and reached out for the apple Jack had been about to devour minutes ago, a strange and most curious craving for it developing. Jack narrowed his eyes at her playfully as she sunk her teeth into it. She caught his expression and laughed lightly.

"How are ye feelin'?" Jack asked, his smile reducing fractionally, but still remaining vaguely.

"Alright, I suppose," Elizabeth replied through a mouthful of apple. "I felt hungry so I thought I might come and get something to eat."

"Well, we have a cook on board, so if ye want anythin' else, just tell me and I give him the order," Jack informed her, flashing his golden grin that she loved.

Elizabeth set the apple down on the mahogany wood of the table and considered his offer. "Is there any chance of some form of soup or...stew?"

Jack smiled. "Of course, darlin'. I'll only be a moment..."

Elizabeth picked up the apple again and started eating as she watched Jack walk over to a door at the back of the room and tell the cook their request. As he returned, she set the core down and smiled.

"I am feeling a lot better, come to think of it," Elizabeth pondered. "I mean, I can walk again, which is good..."

"Yer gettin' yer colour back in yer cheeks," Jack pointed out. Elizabeth giggled. "'S true, love."

"I hope you don't mind that I'll be eating in my nightgown," she said, changing the subject.

Jack gave her a playfully confused look. "Why would _I _mind about that?"

Elizabeth shrugged; Jack laughed. But it was only a few seconds before his expression turned serious and sad again.

"How are ye copin'?" he asked softly, taking her hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly.

Elizabeth took in a shallow breath before replying quietly, "It's sinking in. I just..."

But she trailed off, catching a glimmer of sorrow in his eyes that had only ever been there one occasion before; the time when Jack had left Will and herself on the fort of Port Royal as he prepared to sail away. In both this case and that one, he was clearly afraid of never seeing her again.

"I promise ye, Lizzie," Jack said, his voice low and serious, "that _somehow_ everything will turn out alright...I won't, I _can't_, let ye die on the crew an' me...yer like family to us already..."

Elizabeth smiled as their faces, and consequently their _lips_, inched slowly closer together. Jack cupped her cheek with his hand, and she allowed her face to sink into his touch. She closed her eyes and waited for his lips upon hers, and then –

"Soup's ready!" came the lively voice of the cook from the adjoining kitchen. Both Jack and Elizabeth cursed under their breaths.

"It seems we always get distracted at the wrong moment," Elizabeth mused, letting her eyes flutter open.

"Ye couldn't be more right, love," Jack grumbled in agreement as he got up to go and fetch the soup.

* * *

Aww, they always get interrupted, don't they? Anyway, I hope I'm moving along at a steady pace :)

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride out.


	13. Chapter 13 No Regrets?

Ok, more made-up COTBP scenes ahead (ya know ya love 'em :P) and I'm particularly proud of this one :)

NOTE: I'm thinking about changing the title of this fic to 'Everything' (because I realised there was a Willabeth with the title I have now, and I'm distraught) but I'm not sure, so I thought I'd ask my readers. Any thoughts?

Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 13 – No Regrets?_

Elizabeth averted her eyes from Jack's approaching figure as she felt what would usually be a distinct blush creeping up her cheeks. But, seeing as she was so pale, Jack noticed nothing, instead setting down a bowl in front of her with just a gentle smile. Sitting back down next to her, and watching her hesitantly taste the soup he'd set before her, Jack gave her an odd look which did not go unnoticed by her.

"Do ye have any regrets, Lizzie?" he asked softly, yet with all the seriousness he could physically muster. "Like...the island...that night, for instance?"

Elizabeth looked down at her bowl and slowly set down her spoon, becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She should have seen that particular, yet only half-drunken, memory come back to haunt her one day. The night on the island did not only consist of drinking vast amounts of a certain liquor, and dancing innocently around a flaming bonfire. Neither did it consist of just merry karaoke and quiet confessions of the definition of freedom.

No, the night had consisted of more than that; that night Elizabeth had willingly given Jack her honour, the one part of her she'd sworn to keep and protect until she was married. But amidst the burning alcohol intoxicating her good judgement, the infuriating black eyes that told so much without their owner uttering a single word, and the raw knowledge of being stranded alone on an empty island with the legend she'd practically grown up with, Elizabeth had forgotten about society, its critical views, and had surrendered her maidenhead to Captain Jack Sparrow.

--Flashback--

"An' the company is _infinitely _better than last time..." Jack said, his words slurring drunkenly.

Elizabeth looked up at him, taking in his handsome profile. He really was magnificent...

Not quite knowing what she was doing, Elizabeth reached up with the hand that was not clutching her rum bottle and turned his face towards her, which made him shut up at once. Still blissfully shy in her actions, she leaned up and placed the softest and most hesitant of kisses on Jack's lips that he had ever experienced.

She pulled back and looked away, mumbling bashfully, "I'm sorry; I don't know why I did that..."

But the feel of his finger turning her back round to face him made her self-consciousness disappear, and he leaned forward and kissed her again, and she let her rum bottle fall out of her hand and roll away as her arms came up to wrap around his neck. She felt she could do nothing but allow him to push her on her back into the sand, him leaning over her.

"This is wrong," she whispered breathlessly when they parted.

"Do ye care?" Jack asked seriously.

"Not in the slightest," Elizabeth admitted shamelessly.

Jack smiled faintly, and kissed her again, his hand starting to undo the buttons on her dress.

They didn't quite manage to register the clothes being carelessly discarded on the sand next to them. His hands were exploring her body as his mouth left a trail of hot kisses down her neck and along her shoulder; they were almost as scorching as the bonfire burning brightly beside them.

"Jack..." Elizabeth breathed, clutching his shoulders desperately in an effort to halt him. He looked up at her, his dilated black eyes both lustful and questioning. "Is this real? Is this really going to happen?"

In answer, he kissed her lips passionately and rested his body weight on her. They broke apart for air and Elizabeth managed to mutter, "I'll take that as a yes, then."

And that was her last coherent thought before her eyes clamped shut in response to the blinding white-hot pain coursing through her every vein. She yelled out, and dug her nails into his back, biting her lower lip and allowing a few tears to leak out from under her eyelids while she waited for the pain to pass.

He waited, his breathing heavy, wiping away her tears, brushing a few strands of hair from her face as her breathing gradually calmed. Movement at this time would cause her more discomfort, and he didn't want to inflict that on her. He closed his eyes and leant down so that their foreheads rested against one another.

"There's no going back after this, is there?" Elizabeth asked fearfully, her eyes remaining shut, her voice slightly hoarse.

"It's unlikely," Jack replied hesitantly in a whisper, "but what happens after this depends mostly upon ye and yer dear Commodore."

She nodded, but not in dismay, rather as if to say 'I thought so' and she ran the palms of her hands up and down his scarred back, inviting him eagerly to continue; the pain had gone. He happily obliged and it wasn't long before the world around them disintegrated into a million shattering pieces; the only things Elizabeth could comprehend were that Jack Sparrow was lying on a beach with her, marooned with her, moving and gasping with her and making love to her (something she'd never believed would happen in her wildest dreams), and also the exploding colours beneath her eyelids that erupted everytime either one of them gasped or said the other's name.

It was all over too soon for them both, as they lay in the sand, both as naked as the day they were born, arms wrapped around each other's bodies possessively. His hand was gently caressing the small of her back as he lay on his back with his eyes peacefully closed, and she was curled up beside him, her arm around his waist and her head lying on his chiselled chest, eyes frightfully awake.

"What are ye goin' to do, then?" Jack asked, his hand never ceasing.

Elizabeth sighed deeply and allowed her eyes to close on Jack's chest. "I have no choice, Jack. I'll return to Port Royal and marry James. That's all Port Royal holds for me. It's _my_ life, and yet it's _not _in my control."

"Yer own life is _always _in yer own control, Lizzie. It was _my_ choice to let those slaves go. An' that's when my life became my own; the _Wicked Wench _became the _Black Pearl_. Piracy revealed itself, an' now I'm happy," Jack explained softly, his hand moving from the base of her back and up into her hair, and he moved his head awkwardly to lay light kisses on the sun-bleached strands.

Unbidden tears rolled down Elizabeth's cheeks, landing delicately on Jack. He pretended not to notice.

"This is the end, isn't it?" she asked quietly, her voice thick with despair. "I'll go back to Port Royal, and you'll be hanged. Then that will be it. It'll be over forever. I don't know if I can –"

She was going to say more, but a sob caught her off guard and she tightened her arms around him, snuggling closer. His arm returned to her back, and stroked up and down in an attempt at comfort. Damn, why was he never good with crying women?

"It most certainly will _not _be over," Jack said sternly. "Love, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. I'll be fine, ye mark me words."

"Is that a promise?" Elizabeth asked, her sobs slowly dying down.

"Pirates don't promise things, Lizzie," Jack admitted, his tone surprisingly cold. "But givin' ye hope is the best I can do."

He felt Elizabeth nod, and the pool of wetness on his chest made from her heartbroken tears grow larger.

No. It most certainly was _not _the end.

--End Flashback—

Elizabeth smiled fondly at the memory of that night and became suddenly very aware of Jack's hand stroking hers.

"No," Elizabeth whispered finally. "No regrets at all."

"Really?" Jack asked earnestly, the faintest of smiles touching the corners of his mouth. She didn't regret losing her virginity to him? He'd never have expected that; no, not in a million years.

She finally turned to look at him, a few lonely tears pooling in her blue eyes. "No; no regrets at all."

The hand Jack had been using to caress her hand moved up her arm slowly (Elizabeth watched it with slightly parted lips) until it rested on the base of her neck. In this situation, there was only one thing to do, and he went right ahead and did it; he placed the gentlest of kisses upon her rosy lips and couldn't help but smile into the kiss when she responded fiercely.

* * *

Yes the past will play a relative part in the plot (albeit only briefly but still) in a few chapters so look out!

Review please!


	14. Chapter 14 Estoy Enamorado De Ti

OK, my SATs finished on Friday, so I'm going to have more free time, and therefore more time to write! Yay! So, I hope you enjoy!

Necessary transalations:

_Estoy enamorado de ti_ - I'm in love with you.

NOTE: Chapter 13 had a little bit added into it, and has been replaced, and I recommend you go back and read it again, but it's upto you :)

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 14 – Estoy Anamorado De Ti_

Jack grabbed Elizabeth's forearms and together they stood up without breaking their kiss. Letting his arms drop to his sides again, he felt Elizabeth take his hand in her own and start leading him from the room, the soup long forgotten.

She pulled away from him to lead him down the corridor away from the galley and along to her quarters. She fumbled with the doorknob in her hastiness before the door finally swung open. She turned back to face Jack and lead him over towards her bed, walking backwards.

He kicked the door shut behind them, and they continued walking, their steps growing more eager, until the backs of Elizabeth's knees collided with the foot of her bed, knocking her onto her back on the muddled covers. Jack, taken by surprise, landed on top of her ungracefully and promptly kissed Elizabeth, his hands moving up to tangle in her hair.

They broke apart for the briefest moment so that Elizabeth managed to pull Jack's top over his head, and yanked his head back down to kiss him again. When her hands started deftly working on the ties of Jack's breeches, he suddenly became fully aware of the situation, and pulled back from Elizabeth's bruised lips, waving her hand away from his trousers, leaving Elizabeth looking slightly hurt.

"Lizzie, I can't do this," he said sincerely, climbing off her, and lying down next to her instead. She turned on her side and propped her head up on her elbow, staring at him, disappointed.

"Why not?" she asked, while distractedly drawing invisible circles on his torso, smiling to herself when he tensed under her soft fingertips. "You were more than willing a minute ago..."

"I know," he muttered, "but yer dyin', Lizzie."

He turned over onto his side to face her, reaching out to hold her; she put her head down on the sheets and scooted into his open arms, sighing when they enclosed around her.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she whispered, letting her eyes close peacefully. "We both want to...so why not?"

"I'd feel like I was takin' advantage of ye, an' no matter how many women I've been with –" Elizabeth frowned slightly, "– that is somethin' I've never done. I tell ye, Lizzie, I ain't about to start doin' that now. Estoy enamorado de ti, love."

Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked up at Jack in question. "What does that mean? I don't know much Spanish."

"Nothin', love," Jack said, his smile sad, but Elizabeth didn't seem to notice; either that, or she decided not to say anything. "It doesn't matter."

She nodded, and much to Jack's relief, put her head back in the crevice of his neck.

"Jack..." she whispered, "I want you to do something for me."

"Anythin', love," he smiled into her hair. It smelt like a sensual mix of lavender and seawater. It was making Jack feel heady..._Bugger_. "What is it?"

"I want you to show me freedom...help me experience it before I die," she went on, her voice growing quieter.

"Of course, love," he smiled, though slightly taken aback by the request. "Any particular way ye want me to do that?"

"Well..." Elizabeth considered, but then it clicked what Jack had meant. She looked up to see him smiling cheekily and wiggling his eyebrows both suggestively and playfully. She didn't quite manage to fathom whether or not he was joking before she lightly tapped his chest.

"Sorry, love," Jack continued smiling impishly, "but seriously; is there?"

"Surprise me," she whispered, pressing feather-light kisses to his neck, "That'll make it more exciting."

Jack was surprised by Elizabeth's ability to be forward when she wanted to be, and it never ceased to amaze him how often, and how well, she could pull it off when she did.

"Fair enough," Jack grinned, clambering off the bed unexpectedly, and Elizabeth sat up, watching him with wide eyes as he replaced his linen shirt and flashed her a roguish grin when he stopped just short of the door. "I'll come back an' get ye later on tonight."

She still stared after him, dumbstruck, as he left her cabin. She flopped back down on the bed and let her mind wander to what Jack could possibly do that night. She blushed furiously at the more...dirty prospects.

--

Jack slammed his cabin door shut behind him angrily and started pacing the room, thinking.

"Improvise, man, improvise!" he cursed, rubbing his temple furiously. "Show her freedom...how the bloody hell am I supposed to do that?!"

In the heat of his aggravation, he walked over to his desk and firmly kicked it. Hard. Then he swore obscenely when his foot started throbbing painfully.

"_Bloody _hell!" he shouted, turning away from the desk and walking around the room despite his aching foot.

Everything had been going so sodding well, and he just had to go and ruin it! He could have been enjoying himself in Elizabeth's bed right now, if his 'good man' side hadn't shone through. Why was it that that always happened at _exactly _the wrong moment?

Pacing the room still, he searched his mind frantically for a way to show her freedom. Then it hit him. His face lit up in wonder, and he damned himself for not thinking of it sooner.

"How did I not think of that before?!" he said, hardly managing to keep the grin from his face upon discovering his own ingenious plan. He went to return to his desk to down a bit of rum (_OK,_ _more_ _than_ _a_ _bit_, he thought sheepishly), when he yelped loudly at the sight of a glowing figure sitting in his chair.

"An' why in Barbossa's name are _ye_ here?" Jack grumbled, his happy mood immediately doused.

"Tha's not a very nice greetin' fer yer visitor, Jack Sparrah," she said, faking offence, in that heavily-accented Jamaican voice of hers.

"Apologies," he smiled grimly. "An' what is it that brings ye to me humble cabin at this time of day, which is noon, I believe?"

The woman in the chair smiled widely. "Tha's much better. Somethin's troublin' yeh, Sparrah, an' I know perfectly well what it is."

"Wow," Jack said sarcastically, "that makes two of us. Now shoo."

Her face immediately turned stony. "What is it yeh hold against me, Jack? I 'ave 'elped yeh in de past, have I not? I 'ave come to do so again."

Reaching for the bottle of rum on his desk, Jack took it and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

"Yeh 'ave a reason te suspect me?" she asked, her voice growing dangerous and threatening. "I 'ave been naught but good te yeh in de past, Jack."

"An' I can tell that ye want somethin' in return," Jack countered, taking a swig of rum, grimacing slightly as it burned his throat, surprisingly helping him to relax. "I can also tell that _me_ probably won't be likin' the price."

"Stop yer grumblin'," she snapped. "Me price fer me service is left upto me, an' it's upto yeh whether or not yeh accept. Fair is fair."

"What be yer terms, Calypso?" Jack asked, his bleak smile only half sincere.

--

Half an hour later, Jack still sat on the edge of his bed, his head still firmly held in his hands, his breathing heavy. Calypso was still sitting patiently behind his desk, awaiting his answer, but he still hadn't made up his mind. What she was asking of him was very difficult for him to give up. He looked up at her, looking more tired and weary than he had in his whole life.

"What be yer answer, then, Jack Sparrah?" she asked wickedly, her smile almost evil.

"Why do ye want this from me? How would it affect ye?" Jack asked, trying to persuade her to change the cost.

"Ye ferget tha' I can see into some parts of de future, Jack," Calypso answered, "But only some. A man has wronged me in de past, an' it plays into yer an' Elizabeth's destiny te help me be rid of 'im."

"Who is this man?" Jack asked curiously. He wanted answers before he agreed to _anything_.

"I am not as foolish as te tell yeh dat," she replied, a bitter smile gracing her dark face as she seemingly read his thoughts. "Yeh can remain oblivious te 'is identity fer all I care."

"Then why should I trust ye? It seems like yer just usin' me," Jack retorted. This, apparently, was the _wrong _thing to say.

"An' yeh be usin' me in return, yeh arrogant pirate!" Calypso yelled, and the cabin actually shook a little, the lit candles almost flickering out. "We are helpin' each other, usin' each other in de process, an' yeh have de nerve te suggest me untrustworthy? Yeh ferget yer place, Sparrah."

"I am sorry to have angered ye," Jack said through gritted teeth.

"An' so yeh should be," she smiled calmly. "Do we have a deal, den; Elizabeth's life fer my price?"

She held out a softly glowing hand. Jack eyed it apprehensively, wondering whether this was the right decision. He decided it was; Elizabeth got her life back and it was passed off as a false alarm, though Calypso had said that there would be a reasonably believable excuse, without, Jack had noticed, actually mentioning what said reasonably believable excuse actually was.

"Remember, though, Jack," Calypso warned, her smile long since faded, "once my magic is done, an' Elizabeth is better, with her excuse, I cannot be held responsible fer anythin' tha' happens te her; it is past my control den. Do yeh understand?"

Jack nodded, cursing the lengths he would go to, to save Elizabeth's life, and reached out and shook Calypso's hand. He had decided by now that the fact that she was glowing was just plain creepy.

Seconds after he drew back his hand, Calypso had vanished, and Jack was left alone in the cabin, thinking over what he'd agreed to.

* * *

_Coming soon...The agreement will be revealed, but will Jack tell Elizabeth? Also, a couple of surprises make Jack's misery even worse...stay tuned!_

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride out.


	15. Chapter 15 A Freedom So Sweet

Sorry for the wait for the update, but I'm off for a week, so more regular updates ahead...I hope...

NOTE: I got a confusing review for one of my earlier chapters, and I would just like to clear up: Jack has -never- raped Elizabeth! He has slept with her, but never raped her. If you remain confused, go back and read the very first chapter again, and note the references to 'hands'...

Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 15 – A Freedom So Sweet_

Jack was irritated.

And it was through, and because of, this intense irritation that he kicked the side of his desk with full force, having no recollection whatsoever of ever standing up in the first place. Oh, he was irritated.

"Bloody damn Calypso an' her damn bloody manipulation..." Jack cursed and grumbled under his rum-scented breath. "Why I oughta..."

But he didn't quite manage to finish saying what he ought to do, because then there came a small, timid knock on his door. It was almost cute...in a way. Without waiting for a response, the door opened, and Jack stood, fuming, with his back to it as the intruder carefully shut it behind them, and their bare feet padded quietly across the wooden floor. The hands that suddenly appeared without warning on his shoulder managed to calm him down slightly.

"Jack?" Elizabeth asked, sounding small, like an infant.

The man in question sighed, reaching his hand up to stroke hers delicately.

"What is it, Lizzie?" he asked softly, sounding tired and worn. She seemed to pick up on this.

"I want my freedom," Elizabeth replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, "_now_."

Jack smiled, trying to make the most of the time they had left together.

--Flashback--

"Partin' is such sweet sorrow, Jack Sparrah," Calypso sneered maliciously. "It would do yeh well te experience it fer once in yer pitiful life," she paused, "an' that is me price. Yeh have te part from 'er fer a while...a _long _while at that."

"I already have," Jack mumbled miserably, looking at Calypso. "I've parted with her once already. Six months ago, on the fort of Port Royal. Surely ye know this?"

Calypso scoffed. "Of course I knew dis. I know everythin', but yeh seem te keep forgettin' tha' little detail. Yeh also be forgettin' tha' human misery, an' human pain, matter not te me. I don't care whether or not ye've left 'er afore, or if it pains yeh nearly te death te do it again. I want me price, an' yeh be wantin' Elizabeth...safe."

"Yes," Jack conceded sadly. "Sometimes I think I'm crazy to go to such lengths for her."

"Yeh are," she snapped sharply, "Yeh are a very foolish man, an' I don't know what exactly possesses yeh te try so hard fer 'er."

Another twisted smile found its way onto Calypso's lips at this point; she was pushing him to the very limit. She wanted him to admit what he could barely admit to himself. But if it was driving him forward, closer to saving Elizabeth's life, Jack found he didn't quite care at the minute.

"Ye know why," he grumbled quietly, trying hard to retain his anger and keep himself under careful control. "I love her."

Calypso stared intensely, the smile threatening to grow bigger as it touched the corners of her mouth.

He laughed without humour, without any trace of tender emotion before continuing, "I didn't ask for it, an' I'm not particularly proud of it either. It's not somethin' that's easy to live with. Truth be told, I don't _want _to live with it. It's a lot easier, but still wholly difficult, to see her in this state without feelin' like I'm dyin' along with her."

"Yer quite the sentimental, Sparrah," Calypso smirked sarcastically. "Yeh never were one te give yerself up lightly."

"An' now can ye see why?" Jack demanded furiously. "Nothin' good comes from love, an' I'm tellin' ye, this is not goin' to end pretty."

Calypso laughed once, a bitter laugh, burning to the core with resentment. "Yeh think I don't already know this? Like I said; yer happiness? I could not care less about it. _Her _happiness? I care even less about that. But if makin' both of ye happy achieves me my own personal ends, I'll gladly cooperate."

Jack moved and sat down on the edge of the bed, his head held firmly in between his two hands.

"How long would I...not see her?" Jack asked resignedly. "Hypothetically, I mean."

"_Hypothetically," _Calypso mocked, amusement clearly palpable, "I do not know. At this moment in time, it is difficult te make out certain murky waters."

"Could ye stop talkin' in riddles? 'M gettin' a headache," Jack complained childishly.

She ignored him.

"I can only see some parts of de future clear enough te fathom how me decisions an' the decisions of others –" she gestured to Jack absentmindedly, "– affect an' influence 'em. I use this te me advantage. Hence why I am talkin' te yeh this very second in time."

"An' here I was thinkin' ye'd come to declare yer undyin' love for me," Jack muttered sardonically, rolling his eyes in the process. "I know why yer here, I don't need tellin' again."

A pleasant smile was etched on her face as she watched Jack's growing irritation. "Anyway," she continued, smiling, "yeh will be separated fer a time. There is no avoidin' tha' fact. An' it will undoubtedly be a long time; the ways of Fate are not easy, nor light. She is a cruel goddess. An' she has already assured me it will last longer than this past separation, but by how much I do not know."

Jack nodded.

"So..." Calypso went on, her smile fading rapidly, "what be yer decision, Jack?"

--End Flashback--

Taking her hand, he started to lead her out of the room, before stopping suddenly, looking her up and down in baffled curiosity. She simply smiled.

"I decided to change," she explained her sudden appearance in pirate's attire. "I was a bit bored of the nightdress."

Jack rolled his eyes, muttering, "Women..."

Elizabeth laughed and let him lead her out onto the deck. He strode right past all the crew members who whispered and pointed at Elizabeth, regarding her sudden reappearance. Gibbs smiled brightly and waved at her. She returned his smile as Jack continued to drag her upto the helm.

"How are you going to do this?" she asked curiously, eyeing the wheel apprehensively.

Jack looked at her, followed her gaze, and laughed slightly.

"Maybe someday I'll let ye upto the wheel, love, but I don't entirely trust an inexperienced woman steerin' me ship at the minute," Jack chuckled; Elizabeth blushed at her uncanny ability to be naïve. "No, that's not where we're goin'."

He stopped at the top of the stairs and looked up to the crow's nest. Elizabeth's recent blush faded, and her face drained of every colour except grey.

"You can't be serious..." she whispered disbelievingly. His answering grin of mischief did nothing to calm her.

"Come on, up we go," he smiled, gently pushing her forward to the rope ladder bouncing slowly off the wooden mast in front of them. "Don't be scared, love; I'm right behind ye."

Elizabeth gulped nervously; was he _trying _to kill her? Ignoring all the red flashing warning lights going off in her head – not to mention the danger sirens ringing unconsciously in only her ears – she reached out with a white hand and took the rope ladder, hoisting herself up, and she began to climb.

When she was about halfway up, Jack started climbing up after her. Not long after, they stood on the crow's nest together – Jack's arm had at some point found its own way around her waist (not that she minded or anything) – and they were admiring the view, Elizabeth with a mouth shaped like an 'O'.

She moved forward, gripping the rail with almost unnecessary force and smiled in awe. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jack standing, an expression of perfect serenity gracing his handsome features, feet shoulder's distance apart, dreadlocks whipping around his face in the slight breeze, and his arms crossed in front of his chest...

All in all, he looked as everyone she'd ever talked to had described him – a legend, a true Captain...a _pirate_.

"Do ye feel free yet?" he asked, and his eyes were so trained on the distant horizon that she had to wait a minute before answering to make sure he was actually talking to her.

"More than you'll ever know," she whispered back and he walked towards her, lowering his arms to his sides.

"What about if I do..._this_?" he asked before gently kissing her, his softness surprising her as his hands came to tangle in her hair. She found herself responding without even thinking about it, and felt her knees weaken. He held her arms and lowered them both to sit against the mast of the crow's nest, their lips breaking apart as he held her close.

"I believe that only increases the feeling..." Elizabeth whispered serenely after a while, "...and I like it."

He kissed the top of her head a few times and hugged her tighter and closer. "Good."

Minutes passed, eventually turning into fast hours as they sat, letting the world – and the crew – below them slip away. She had wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest, slowly becoming drowsy, but not feeling entirely right.

"Jack?" she asked suddenly, sounding panicked, and Jack started to worry.

"What is it?" he asked immediately. "Are ye feelin' alright?"

"Not really..." she admitted, "...I feel woozy...I think I'm going to faint, Jack."

And she did just that. She fainted on Jack's torso, and his heart filled with dread. This had to be Calypso's magic at work; it could be nothing else. He sat and waited patiently – but with an increasing sense of foreboding about him – for her to regain consciousness.

A few minutes later, her eyelids opened sleepily, and Jack dragged her unwilling body to her feet. She tried to mumble a protest, but he ignored her successfully. He made her go down the swinging rope ladder first before following her.

They finally reached the deck, and Jack held Elizabeth's hand, leading her to her cabin. Once inside, she promptly ran into the bathroom, and threw up. Jack grimaced as she returned and flopped down on the bed, falling asleep at once, without even casting a second glance.

He immediately sent Gibbs to get the nurse.

--

About an hour and a half later, Jack was back in the crow's nest, sitting alone, with no-one for company but his own miserable thoughts.

A soft voice behind him snapped him back to reality; he hadn't even heard Elizabeth climbing the ladder. He looked up at her face, and she seemed to be here to tell him something; something important.

She sat down next to him nervously. He turned and stared back at the horizon.

"Where have you been when you've been disappearing from the ship?" she asked finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Oh, so she'd heard about that, had she?

Ever since she'd told him she was dying, Jack had been leaving the ship every other day to go ashore. He hadn't told anyone, not even Gibbs, where he'd been going, but always left strict orders to not tell Elizabeth he'd gone. Apparently, one of his crew members had broken the promise.

"That doesn't matter right now," Jack told her evasively. "How are ye? What did the nurse say?"

The last time he'd asked that question, he'd received an answer he didn't like one bit. Why should this time be any different? He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Elizabeth's body tense and grow more rigid. Ah, so was this a sensitive topic now?

"I don't think you'll like it," she whispered, and Jack could hear in her tone the tears pooling in her beautiful eyes.

"Try me."

Elizabeth recoiled at the sudden coldness in his tone. She took a shuddering breath. "She said..."

Jack waited, his ears painfully alert, wondering what Calypso could possibly have come up with in her schemes.

"...I'm pregnant."

* * *

...virtual rum goes to people who correctly guess who the father is!

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride out.


	16. Chapter 16 Good Men Don't Lie

OK, quick update, as promised! I couldn't help but notice that the amount of reviews per chapter are going down...if you read this story and enjoy it, what's the harm in submitting a review? It really spurs me on to write more, and if you don't want me to discontinue this fic, -please- review. Thanks.

Enjoy!

* * *

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 16 – Good Men Don't Lie_

So that was Calypso's plan, was it?

So why was it, then, that the news didn't surprise Jack? He seemed to have been expecting such a blow without even realising it himself. He didn't say anything, and not a part of his entire body moved. He sat deathly still, and Elizabeth groaned at his imitation of a statue.

"Jack...what are you thinking?" she started quietly, and she was surprised at herself for the words coming out sounding scared and frightened. "What's wrong? I wasn't expecting this, you –"

"Will's."

Elizabeth couldn't – not in a million years – have anticipated how much that single word would hurt her. He spat the word out with venom, and repulsion was etched onto his face. She was unwillingly feeling sorry for him now. She scolded herself mentally. However, his reaction still baffled Elizabeth; why did he care that much?

"Yes."

"It wasn't a question," Jack said, quiet now, but speaking quietly was marginally worse than if he'd been yelling in her face, or continuing as he'd just been talking. To hear him so vulnerable, so defeated, was killing her slowly. "I know it's his. Who else's could it be?"

"Why do you care so much?!" Elizabeth demanded, unable to stop the anger building up to boiling point inside her. "How does this affect you at all?!"

Jack turned his head further away from facing her. That was actually a good question; why did he care so much? It _didn't _affect him.

"Yer on _my _ship," Jack muttered. "Everythin' that happens on a Captain's ship affects –"

"No, it doesn't!" she protested furiously. "I know that you care, Jack, I just can't figure out for the life of me why."

Jack remained silent. Elizabeth sighed, and kneeled down in front of him. He didn't even glance at her, just kept his eyes turned firmly away from her, in the feeble hopes of silently telling her to go away. She reached out slowly, and placed her hands on either side of his neck. His eyes closed with all the sadness in the world.

"Do you love me?" she whispered, tears brimming painfully. She did not want him to see her crying...again. He remained silent, and not a muscle in his body moved. She moved the dreadlocks, blowing in the wind that was picking up, out of his face and continued to search him for any clues.

"You're a good man," she continued, and to her very annoyance, she had started crying. "I know that from the way you've treated me since I came aboard, and even more so when I told you that I was..." she took a deep breath, and whispered the last word, "dying."

Still, Jack stayed infuriatingly silent.

"Admit to me that you love me, Jack," she pleaded, so close to silently that she repeated it with a somewhat stronger voice. "Tell me you love me."

Finally, Jack turned to face her. "Good men don't lie, Lizzie," he said coldly, his eyes hard and unreadable. Elizabeth felt her resolve slipping; she was going to lose it. "An' tellin' ye that I loved ye would be me – a good man, apparently – lyin' to ye."

She bit her lip and sniffed sadly. They stared into each other's eyes for close to an eternity, until she couldn't take it anymore. She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed heartily into the crevice of his neck. Guilt rushed through Jack's whole body. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie," he cooed. "I was only tellin' the truth."

_No, ye weren't, ye treacherous swine! _Jack's honest side shouted at him. Jack ignored it.

"Well if that was the truth, why _do _you care so much about me carrying Will's child?" Elizabeth mumbled weakly.

"I don't know," Jack lied. "Don't ye think ye should be writin' a letter to Turner to tell him about this instead of bein' up here with me?"

Elizabeth tensed and the sobs slowed gradually. "I don't have to," she said tentatively.

"Ye don't plan on tellin' him?" Jack asked in surprise.

"No," she admitted. "I don't think I'm ever going to see him again. What he doesn't know can't hurt him."

--

The next day, Elizabeth asked everyone on board where the Captain had disappeared to. Everyone told her they didn't know, but all had a shifty look when they told her this, so she suspected them of lying. One thing was certain: he wasn't on the ship. She should have seen this coming!

She stayed in her cabin all day, and during her extreme level of boredom she managed to work out that she was about a month and a half pregnant. It was three weeks before Elizabeth had found Jack in Tortuga that she and Will had slept together. Could it be _that _knowledge that was making Jack behave oddly, rather than the simple fact that she was pregnant?

Was he...jealous?

To begin with, Elizabeth actually laughed aloud at the possibility of Jack Sparrow being jealous, but the more she thought about it, the more logical it seemed. His behaviour certainly did nothing to discourage the likelihood.

When he arrived back on deck later that night, Elizabeth cornered him, demanding answers. Jack jumped nearly a foot in the air when she emerged from the shadows when no-one else was around; they were all having dinner in the galley.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice low, but resigned. "The crew members have been holding their tongues all too well."

"Good, that's what I told them to do," Jack snapped back. "Jesus Christ, woman – forgive me blasphemy – ye sound like a suspicious wife! Since when was it any of yer business where I go in me spare time in the evenin's, anyway?"

"I feel like it's my fault," she mumbled in response, "and if you end up getting hurt in a pub or something while you're out, who else would I have to blame? Me, Jack..._me_! I would never be able to forgive myself if you were hurt, or _killed_, because of me!"

Jack blinked in surprise. "Lizzie, I'm sorry, I promise I'm not brawlin' in pubs or anythin' like that. Even Captains need to get away from their ship an' their crew sometimes, y'know."

"Oh," Elizabeth muttered, blushing furiously at her outburst. "Sorry, then."

She made to walk away, but Jack walked forward and caught her arm before she got more than two steps away.

"If anythin' happened to me," he started cautiously, his dark eyes unfathomable in the pitch black night, "I wouldn't want ye to blame yerself, Lizzie. It would have been my fault - 'cause let's face it, it always is – an' ye wouldn't have been involved anyway."

He was being so sincere with her, and it hurt to hear the tone of his voice. It was weak, and small, but the way his hands held onto her arm was frightening; desperate and painful.

"You're hurting my arm," Elizabeth whispered, though he wasn't really; his gaze was just making her shifty and uncomfortable. He refused to let go and continued searching her eyes as if for some hidden meaning.

"Why haven't ye told William about the baby?" he asked, changing the subject after a long while of silence. Elizabeth frowned.

"I don't know," she answered stubbornly, finally tearing her gaze away from his accusing stare, but his hand cupped her cheek and turned her head to face him again. She gulped, unable to lie to his face...his eyes. "I'm not sure that I want to believe it myself."

_Jackpot._

"An' why is that?" Jack pressed, hoping his voice didn't come out too urgent. His thumb started caressing the base of her left cheek and she sighed.

"I always wanted to be married when I had children," she whispered sadly. She leaned her head forward onto Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes. "I wanted it to be with the man I loved."

"I thought ye said ye still loved the wh- William," Jack corrected himself. To his great surprise, Elizabeth laughed.

"I do...but not in the same way, anymore," she admitted. "Things have changed between us. He doesn't want the life of a pirate, Jack, he's a blacksmith."

"An' ye? Ye _do _want the life of a pirate?" Jack asked incredulously. "Miss Elizabeth Swann, a pirate?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Go ahead, laugh all you want, but it's true...ever since I was a little girl, in fact. I've always wanted to meet one. You have no idea how excited I was that day when I woke up spluttering water and looked up to find _you_, Captain Jack Sparrow, hovering over me, having just saved my life. I'm surprised I didn't lose consciousness again!"

Jack laughed, putting his arms around her small frame. "That was such an important day," he mused quietly.

"It changed our lives," she added.

"For the better?" Jack asked, smiling slightly.

"Definitely."

"Why?" Jack grinned. She lifted her head off his chest, and even though Jack was grinning widely, she showed no sign of amusement.

"I met _you_," she answered earnestly. "What's bad about that?"

"Ye tell me, love," he said roughly, and leant down to press his lips against hers in an ardent kiss. Her ferociousness might have stunned him if he wasn't so used to it already. She subtly took his hand in hers and they started backing up towards the double doors beneath the helm.

Jack swept Elizabeth up into his arms and carefully walked down the stairs, heading straight down the deserted corridor – ignoring the loud chatter in the galley – and towards his cabin. Elizabeth somehow managed to kick open his door and Jack carried her across the main room, through to his bedroom. He threw her down unceremoniously onto the red, satin covers of his bed, and hovered above her, kissing her again with uncontrollable passion.

"Do you love me?" Elizabeth asked again breathlessly, repeating her words from the day before, waiting patiently for an answer.

"No," he responded immediately. "But I want you. _Now._"

Elizabeth looked down and saw the effect she saw on him with a proud smile. She seemed to consider for a moment, looking back upto his face, and then pulled his shirt hastily over his head.

"That's good enough for now," she whispered huskily, and pulled him down on top of her for another kiss as he started working on her shirt's buttons.

* * *

OK, so, no-one got virtual rum, how disappointing! Have you all forgotten the timeline?

Six months since the end of CotBP (which was about two months AFTER the island scene where Jack & Liz slept together), and therefore if Liz WAS pregnant with Jack, she'd be around eight months gone by now. Tsk, tsk, people! Lol.

_Coming up (in the relatively distant future): Elizabeth finds out where Jack's been disappearing to, and a happy birthday party turns into a nightmare. Stay tuned..._

ThePirate'sBride out.


	17. Chapter 17 Unspoken Vows

**_Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! They mean so much, so please don't forget to review :) x_**

**NOTE:** I got a review saying because of a Willabeth kid in this story (who said there was even going to BE a Willabeth kid in this story??), that the person wouldn't be reading anymore.  
This is not the case! I am 100 percent Sparrabeth! There is no Willabeth in this story at all. Thankyou.

OK, Jack is a bit OOC in this chapter (and not in a good way) so it was kind of intentional lol. Enjoy!

**Spoiler: **Italics always have references to the future, or the past, or maybe both...;)

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 17 – Unspoken Vows_

Elizabeth wiped her face free from the tears that had not let up all night. She and Jack lay together in his bed, and the morning light burned Elizabeth's wet eyes. She hadn't slept at all during the night, and was surprised that she wasn't tired. Jack lay on his side with his back facing her. This only upset Elizabeth more.

She shuffled closer to his motionless form – still deeply asleep – and gently draped her arm over his unresponsive waist. She laid light kisses on the back of his shoulder as she listened to his heavy breathing. Despite her intense drying, she continued crying as she thought of her predicament.

She was pregnant, and effectively alone. Jack didn't love her (that's what he said anyway – she still believed otherwise); therefore had no reason to stay with her and help her, possibly even raising William Turner's child as his own. But there would be no disguising the mixed, and not very pleasant, emotions that would plague his person whenever, and _if _ever, he looked upon her child.

How much longer would Jack want to keep her around as she advanced through her weeks? He would probably let it get to about five months and then drop her off at the nearest port, sailing away within minutes of her absence.

She clamped her eyes shut at the unwelcome mental picture of him flirting with a young wench while she stood, overgrown and pale, somewhere in the shadows watching him, haunted by the envy that surrounded her whenever she even thought of him with someone else besides her. She knew the truth, and she couldn't deny it. Her pride had surpassed that stage and the knowledge consumed her, eating away at her from inside until it threatened to break through her very existence and shatter her into a million tiny pieces.

She loved him. It hurt, and it was painful, but she was willing to take all that so that she had some shreds of dignity left to cling to. She needed that. She deserved _that_, at least.

Sighing, she kicked the covers off her side of the bed and inhaled sharply when the cold air hit her bare skin. She searched around on the floor for her clothes and started pulling them on slowly. She moved to a mirror in the corner of the room and, ignoring the tear tracks still steadily flowing, tied her brown hair back into a ribbon. Jack groaned and Elizabeth saw his reflection stir awake in the mirror.

"Mornin'," he smiled sweetly. He got out of bed too and pulled on his breeches before standing behind her, pulling her back with his arms around her waist.

"Morning," she replied softly, sighing. She didn't notice the single tear that fell down her face – so used to crying at that point – but he did.

"Why are ye cryin', love?" he asked, worried. "If I'd wanted ye to cry, I would have upped an' left ye alone hours ago."

"I'm just wondering when you're going to want me gone from around here," she replied honestly, whimpering when he removed his arms from around her in response. She was expecting him to storm from the cabin in a terrifying fury at her for suggesting such a thing, but he stood stock still behind her.

"Why do ye think I would want ye gone, Lizzie?" he asked quietly. Oh, he was calling her 'Lizzie'. That was a good sign!

"You wouldn't want a young child running around here, getting in your way, Jack, let's face it," she answered sadly. "You're a pirate. Besides, it would be Will's child, and I know that would make the entire situation even more difficult and awkward than it already would be."

"Ye'd be surprised at the things I want that nobody knows about, love," he muttered darkly. "There's a lot ye don't know about me."

"I know that you wouldn't be happy with Will Turner's son or daughter running around," she retorted slowly.

"Do _ye _want me to leave ye behind at some shabby port with no-one to help ye?" he pressed, moving closer again so that he was breathing down her neck. "'Cause ye seem to be goin' the right way about it, love."

"No, Jack, of course not!" she mumbled weakly, her voice cracking. "That's the _last _thing I want."

Jack started running his hands up and down her arms, which wasn't exactly helping her concentration. She anticipated his next question, and already had her answer prepared.

"Well, what do ye want, then?" he asked curiously, kissing her neck gently. It was because of those small gestures, not to mention other things, that Elizabeth had been led to believe that Jack thought of her as more than someone who had slept with him a couple of times, and kissed him quite frequently. She remained convinced, and she probably would (until her dying day), that he was in love with her, but was only denying it because of pride and ego.

_Men._

"I want to tell you..." she started, barely above a whisper, "...that I love you."

Jack's hands froze in their place, his breathing stopped, and his entire body was tensed. Slowly his breathing started to return, but he seemed to be struggling for air. Elizabeth wondered vaguely if she'd caused a heart problem. Thinking about that, she started panicking.

"Jack?" she urged. She turned in his arms, and he let his hands lose some of their iron vice-like grip on her upper arm. His eyes were distant and a bit surprised. His breathing pattern seemed to be getting back to normal, slowly but surely.

"Why are ye tellin' me this?" he asked, his voice strangled and pained.

"Because it's true," she replied, looking up at him. He seemed to flinch at her words, as if they were causing him unseen injuries or pain. She sighed and went on even quieter, "And now you have reasons that people can't judge you for."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Reasons? Reasons for what?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know, Jack," Elizabeth warned, anger flashing through her eyes and audible in her voice.

"I honestly don't, love," Jack protested innocently.

Elizabeth sniffed and Jack tried to wipe away some of her tears, but she smacked his hand away angrily. She tore herself from his grasp and walked a few steps away in ferocity. "Now you have every reason to leave me in Tortuga...right _now_! You could be sailing away, maybe even be _long_ gone, by the time sunset arrives!"

Jack was taken aback by her sudden resentment. Was that because he'd told her repeatedly over the past couple of days that he didn't love her? She'd walked a couple of metres to the back of him now, but he remained rooted to the spot where he was, almost scared to face her head on.

"Is this because of –" he started, voicing his suspicions aloud, but she cut him off in a burst of rage.

"Now's your chance to run away, Jack!" she said, not shouting, but her voice loud and furious. "Run away from the person who's just given you her heart willingly! Leave _me_ all alone with a child to raise all on my own! I'm just trying to figure out: is it the _legend_ that would do that to me, or the _man _that I thought I knew? The _man _I was convinced _loved_ me!"

Jack spun around on his heel to face her, his eyes ablaze with unconcealed anger. Even after her outburst, she was terrified at the raw ire shining through his inky black eyes, the way his mouth twisted into a bitter grimace when he drew closer to her. He grabbed her arms again so hard that she could feel the aching bruises starting to form on the skin already.

"_Neither _one of those people are in this room, Lizzie," he spoke severely, and she whimpered at the pressure he was putting on her arm. "The legends are based on lies, and ye can only ever _think _ye know me. _Nobody_ knows the real me."

"Jack, _please_," she begged, tears coursing from under her closed eyelids as she tried desperately to free her arm. "_Stop_ it, Jack! I _meant_ what I said! I _do_ love you!"

This last cry seemed to be Jack's undoing. His hand immediately recoiled from her arm as if burned, and he quickly scooped her up into his arms before she had a chance to run away.

"I am _so _sorry, Lizzie," he whispered, kissing her hair, crushing her against his chest, relieved beyond imagination when she wrapped her arms around his middle and sobbed into his chest instead of trying furiously to get free. "Ye have no idea what those words made me feel. Yer poor arm – sorry, love – only got a sneak preview."

He heard her give a light chuckle. Good sign.

"I never once said that I would be leavin' ye 'cause yer pregnant, love," he sighed, wiping away some of the tears. "When ye told me ye were expectin' the other night, I made meself a promise; I was goin' to look after ye and yer young'un if it killed me. They were like unspoken vows. I don't intend on leavin' ye to raise the kid alone, so whatever gave ye that idea?"

_Because you've already done it to me before, although you may not have realised you were doing it at the time. _Elizabeth thought miserably. This thought, more than anything else that night, made the sobs come more frequently and the tears come faster. Painful memories of the past were flooding back, so she did the only thing she could to disperse them.

"I love you, Jack," Elizabeth repeated, her voice sounding slightly muffled.

"Yer not lyin'?" Jack asked softly, stroking her hair now. She looked up at him, smiling.

"How could I lie about something like that?" Elizabeth whispered, holding his face gently in her hands. His eyes finally moved to meet hers and he smiled faintly. Before the thought had actually finished registering in his mind, his arms were around her and he'd trapped her in a kiss so delightful that it made the thoughts of the pregnancy, Will, and what the future might hold for them both firmly from her mind.

--

Jack surprised everyone on board later that day by announcing that they were to set sail in exactly one week to a pirate port that was second only to Tortuga. The crew members all let out a loud cheer when Jack told them what said pirate port was, but Elizabeth still had no idea what it was.

"Ye've never heard of the famous port of Isla de Las Realezas before now?" Jack repeated incredulously at her totally baffled expression.

"Um, is that a bad thing?" she smiled weakly as she grabbed his hand. He brought it upto his lips and kissed it lightly with a smile.

"Of course it is, love," he laughed. She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I love you, Jack," she whispered.

Jack remained silent.

_One day I'll say it, love, _Jack thought sadly. _One day I will._

_--_

_**Coming soon**...the crew arrive at Isla de Las Realezas for the party from hell, and secrets regarding a familiar past are revealed...stay tuned..._

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ThePirate'sBride out.

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	18. Chapter 18 Everything Changed

**_Thanks for the excellent reviews, as ever :) x_**

Bit of a short chapter, made up mostly by another made-up CotBP scene. Enjoy!

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

_Chapter 18 – Everything Changed_

Over the next few days, Jack was once again mysteriously gone from the ship. Elizabeth had not spoken to him at all since he'd announced their impending journey to Isla de Las Realezas. And, much to her dismay, he seemed more than happy to steer clear of her as well. Maybe it was for the best.

The rest of the crew seemed to have been dismissed from their stations for the day and it wasn't long before Elizabeth got bored of staying around the ship on her own, so she decided to walk around the streets of Tortuga for a bit. She wondered where Jack could be, and if he was thinking about her, or maybe even the same thing she was remembering.

--Flashback--

The stone steps were cold beneath Elizabeth's bare feet as she descended the stairs down to the prison cells in her father's fort. It was the night before Captain Jack Sparrow was going to die, and Elizabeth had to find him. She made no attempt to stop herself sobbing, but managed to keep it quiet so that nobody would hear her and search the cells.

She stepped down onto the frozen floor and her white nightdress swirled in the slight breeze. The moonlight cast an eerie glow through the barred windows, making her look like a ghost standing shivering, her teeth chattering as she looked around wearily.

The guards had been let off duty that night, after some careful persuasion to her father, so she'd managed to secure privacy for a conversation between Jack and herself. She took a few cautious steps forward, breath before her in a white cloud of mist, and that was when she saw him.

He was in the very corner of a cell at the end of the corridor. He was sitting up; one leg was lying flat against the ground, and the other was propped up by his foot, an arm dangling lazily on his knee. His hat was perched on his head, and pulled down to cover his eyes. His breathing was steady but deep – he was in such a deep slumber that to the world he might already be dead.

She wrapped her arms around herself and walked towards him, realising with a gasp that he was the only prisoner in the corridor. He didn't deserve this...he was a good man...

The sight of him up close, so peaceful on the eve of his death, was too much for Elizabeth, and she collapsed to the floor in front of the bars, one hand covering her mouth to muffle her incessant sobbing. It still roused him, and his arm moved from his knee to his hat, lifting a corner of it up so that he could look at her with one sleepy, questioning eye.

The sight of her on her knees with her eyes shut, tears streaming down her pale face as she rocked backwards and forwards with her sobs awakened him fully and he crawled upto the bars of his cell, reaching out with a finger to lift up her chin. She started for a moment, but continued crying when she saw his concerned expression while he stroked her face in an attempt of comfort.

"This is..." she gasped out quietly, "...exactly...what I thought...was going to...happen!"

"I know," was all he could really mumble in response. "And I'm sorry, I just –"

"Don't you be sorry, it's my fault," she protested, looking into his eyes. "I think James knows about the island."

"How?" Jack whispered.

"I don't know, it's just the way he looks at me now," she shrugged. "And he's been that way since the island..."

"I don't care," Jack admitted. Elizabeth blinked. "I'm not sorry for what we did, and ye shouldn't be either. I'm so glad I met ye, Lizzie. Ye've changed me life."

_You've changed mine more than you'll ever know, _she thought miserably.

"And now I'm ending it," she whispered sadly. "Not directly, _never _directly, but it's because of me, and I'll never forgive myself for that."

She put her hands on a horizontal bar and stared at him for a few long moments before resting her forehead on a bar as well, and she started crying again. Jack took the opportunity and grasped her hand in his, leaning his forehead on the same bar as hers.

"It's not yer fault, love," he whispered soothingly. "The redcoats have been after me for years. Just so happens that now they've caught me."

This was the Jack that not many people got to encounter. The serious Jack, stripped from any façades, any masks or teasing jokes...the Jack that was serious, and listened to people. The Jack that Elizabeth craved to see more than anyone else.

"Yes, but if you'd never met me, you would still be a free man. You would still be out there, and –"

"And nothing," Jack cut in. "I don't care whether or not I'd still be free if I'd never met ye."

"Why not?" Elizabeth sobbed. "I thought you wanted freedom more than anything else?"

"Priorities change, Lizzie," he smiled. She smiled weakly back at him despite her tears. A sudden idea made her face light up.

"The men are off duty tonight," she whispered triumphantly, "and I know where they keep the keys."

Jack couldn't stop his face illuminating in glee. "Lizzie, yer a star!"

She flashed him a beautiful grin and hurried away to a room further down the corridor. She came back minutes later, holding a set of keys in her hand. Her hands were visibly trembling as she searched through them frantically. Jack stood up, watching her rift through the metal keys with bated breath.

Both of their eyes widened at the same time when Elizabeth dropped the keys, and a loud clang filled the whole corridor. They both stood, silent as mice, for a long while as they listened out for approaching, inquisitive footsteps. Elizabeth's blood ran cold as muffled voices drew closer, and footsteps started at the top of the flight of stairs. She gasped and turned to face Jack, fresh tears brimming.

"Listen, Jack," she gasped out, "the reason I came here tonight was that I need to tell you something."

He listened to her intently as the footsteps got closer.

"I said you've changed my life, Jack," she continued, "and you have, a lot. I think I –"

But just before she could finish, a strong arm grabbed her from behind, and a large hand covered her mouth to drown out her desperate screams. She reached out with one arm and lightly skimmed the top of Jack's hand before the men started dragging her away. She cried out, but the hand made it impossible to hear.

Just before the man dragged her up the stairs, she caught Jack's eye again, and watched him mouth the words 'I'm so sorry, Lizzie'. She sobbed into the man's hand as he forced her up the stairs and out of Jack's sight.

--End Flashback—

Jack had never gotten to know exactly what it was Elizabeth had wanted to tell him that night, and neither had ventured the subject again. But now, as Elizabeth walked around the shops, glancing in a window occasionally, she could barely keep her mind on any other topic.

She'd used all her willpower to keep such a secret from him, something he entirely deserved to know about, but now the past was coming back to haunt her. He seemed so carefree nowadays, despite their previous spats with one another, and placing such a burden on his shoulders could almost be called cruel.

She realised with a sinking feeling that sooner or later she would have to tell him. Above everyone else, he was the one who should know. Know what she'd needed to tell him almost seven months ago...know what had changed everything...know why the thought of his death scared her so much...know why she needed him to love her the way she loved him.

Yes. He needed to know why Elizabeth fell in love with him because of that night on the island. Why, above everything else they'd been through, that memory would stick out like a sore thumb.

The question now was: when and how should she tell him?

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_**Coming soon...**Elizabeth stumbles across Jack in an unlikely place, and an unexpected confession takes Jack by extreme surprise...stay tuned..._

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ThePirate'sBride out.


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